David Alan Grier

Countless theater, television, film, and comedic endeavors have charted David Alan Grier's career’s path to stellar heights, and his ability to excel across all mediums and contexts is a testament to his inherent sense of comic timing and creative drive. The Tony and GRAMMY Award nominee was trained in Shakespeare at Yale where he received an MFA from the Yale School of Drama. Given David’s experiential background and artistic capability, it came as no surprise when Comedy Central named him as one of their “100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.”

Grier made his film debut in "Streamers" (1983), directed by Robert Altman, for which he won the Golden Lion for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival. He appeared in the Wayans Brothers’ spoof movie "Dance Flick" (2009).

In May 2013, David starred in the comedy "Peeples" opposite Kerry Washington and Craig Robinson. The film was produced by Tyler Perry. David also starred in "The Watsons Go To Birmingham," a Hallmark Channel adaptation of Paul Curtis’ 1996 Newbery Award-winning novel by the same name.

His television work is highlighted by a turn as principal cast member on the Emmy Award winning "In Living Color" (1990–1994) where he helped to create some of the show’s most memorable characters, "DAG" (2000–2001) and "Life with Bonnie" (2003), which earned an Image and Golden Satellite nomination. David created, wrote and executive produced a show for Comedy Central called "Chocolate News" (2008).

Grier began his professional career on Broadway as Jackie Robinson in "The First," for which he earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and won the Theatre World Award (1981). He then joined the cast of "Dreamgirls" before going on to star opposite Denzel Washington in "A Soldier’s Play," for which both actors reprised their roles in the film adaptation titled "A Soldier’s Story."

In 2009/2010 Grier starred in David Mamet’s acclaimed play "Race" opposite James Spader and Kerry Washington at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Broadway, for which he received his second Tony Award nomination. Grier received his third Tony Award nomination in 2012 for his "standout role of the rakish, drug-dealing Sporting Life" (NY Times) in The Gershwin's "Porgy & Bess." Grier received his first GRAMMY nomination when the cast recording of The Gershwin’s "Porgy & Bess" received a 2013 GRAMMY Award nomination for Best Musical Theater Album.