Short Bio

Darius Wallace is an actor, director, teacher, speaker and solo performer. A native of Flint Michigan, he got his start at the Flint Youth Theater as a company member performing many children shows which toured around the country. He was educated at Interlocen Arts Academy and continued his study of the art of acting at SUNY Purchase State University of NY. He has performed with the Michigan Shakespeare festival as Caleban in “The Tempest”, as well as with the Tennessee Shakespeare company as a founding company member. There he has played such roles as Friar Lawrence in “Romeo and Juliet”, Senior Gremio in “Taming of the Shrew”, Oberon in “A Midsummer Nights Dream” and King Hamlet in “Hamlet.”

Darius Wallace has performed solo works for 23 years for schools, colleges and universities around the country. His most popular show, “Self Made Man: The Frederick Douglass Story,” made its debut Off-Broadway to rave reviews at the Arc Light theater in 2015 and was nominated for an Audelco Award for best solo performer. He has also appeared on ABC's Nashville and in movies such as “Nothing But The Truth.”

Workshops

In addition Mr. Wallace offers workshops that are available for all performances. Themes include an acting workshop, a poetry workshop and an underground railroad workshop.

Keynote

For corporations, college students, organizations and theater audiences, Darius presents a popular keynote called “Once Upon a Time.” This keynote promotes the influence we have as people and how story helps us connect with the heart through the emotions to master the art of storytelling we must understand the structure

Acclaim

“Wallace is, foremost, a gifted, classically trained actor who, reminiscent of Avery Brooks, brings intensity and poise to any character he steps into, whether it's Frederick Douglass fighting off his captors or Martin Luther King Jr. as a boy encountering racism for the first time.”- Christopher Blank, The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, TN

“Darius is one of the good people in all of national theatre — and beyond that. His great heart and genuine caring make him irresistibly compelling as both an actor and a man. I proudly recommend Darius to you as the ideal actor to bring Frederick Douglass’ vital story to audiences of all ages. He will do so with singular care, love, craft, and commitment.” - Dan McCleary, Tennessee Shakespeare Company, Founder and Producing Artistic Director

Career Highlights

• Belmont University, Nashville, TN
• Crittenden County Schools, West Memphis, Arkansas
• Caritas Village Community, Memphis, TN
• El Paso College, El Paso Texas
• Lincoln Center Institute International Educator’s Workshop, Delta Arts, West Memphis, Arkansas
• Memphis City and Shelby County Schools, Tennessee
• Northeastern University, Boston, MA
• Rhodes College, Memphis, TN
• Seminole State College, Florida
• Home Of Frederick Douglass, National Historic Site, Washington D.C.
• Theater South, Memphis, TN
• Theatre Works, Memphis, TN
• TN Arts Academy, Nashville, TN
• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Walking Dog Theatre, New York City, New York
• Elementary, Middle and High Schools, National Tour

Self Made Man: The Frederick Douglass Story

An inspirational show of overcoming Adversity through the written and spoken word. It covers the story of Frederick Douglass from his life as a slave as a boy to a power abolitionist as a man. In the show Darius Wallace plays fourteen different characters including his grandmother, the overseer, John Brown and President Lincoln. Show includes song, dance, poetry, and some of Frederick Douglass's famous speeches.

“The students and staff are left in awe... I strongly recommend this show to school districts and universities around the country - Valarie Brown, Miami-Dade County School System, SPED Educator, M.S.Ed.

“I have often wondered what it would be like to travel back thru time and meet some of the people that have had an impact upon the shape of our great nation. Last night I was afforded that opportunity in the form of a one-man production based on the Life of Frederick Douglas. [...] Thank you Mr. Wallace now Frederick Douglass has come alive for me.” - Lloyd Elliot, El Paso Community College

“Mr. Wallace captures an audience's imagination with his thoroughly researched performance of Douglass. I highly recommend the show to any school, theater, or other institution interested in an entertaining and immersive show that brings the exceptional Mr. Douglass to life.” - Gregory Gray, GT Media Group

From the Heart of a King

The touching story of Martin Luther King and his promotion of non violence and servant leadership. In this show we journey through the life of MLK from a boy of low self esteem to as a man where he brought great esteem to the cause of civil rights and the dream of America. This show is told through song, dance, poetry and with several speeches of Martin Luther King. This is an excellent show for anti-bullying

The Dream Keeper

A performance of the poetry of Langston Hughes. Hughes's poetry are people and Darius Wallace brings these people poems to life with an inspiring message of hope as we experience the trials and tribulations of everyday people. This performance includes the writings of poets and auditors that inspired Langston Hughes as well as were inspired by his poetry. In this performance you will also hear from James Weldon Johnson, Richard Wright, Walt Whitman, and the poetry of Darius Wallace.

Let's Tell Stories by GoodSpell the Mime

Inspires students and the public to tell stories.

In this show Darius Wallace, as GoodSpell the mime, performs stories that have the basic elements of story: who, where, problem, and solution. The show, teeming with humor, excitement, and surprises, climaxes with a workshop on miming for the audience, encouraging the creation and performance of personal stories.

Once Upon A Time

A keynote on the power of story telling for Corporations, university students, organizations and theater audiences. In this Keynote Darius Wallace shows that 75 percent of the reason why we have influence as people, sales people, activists and performances is when we connect with the heart through the emotions. The best way we connect is through story. To master the art of the story we must understand the structure which has worked for thousands of years and will work for thousands of years to come.