About

Barry Scott is recognized as one of the most versatile practitioners of his art. He is widely known for his successes as an actor, writer, producer, director, motivational speaker and voice over artist. The founder and producing artistic director of the American Negro Playwright Theatre at Tennessee State University, where his parents and grandparents graduated, Scott has become one of the leading theatre artists in his home town, on top of his impressive acting credits nationwide, including television’s I’ll Fly Away and In the Heat of the Night. He is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, Actor’s Equity Association, American Film Radio & Television Association and serves on the board of the Tennessee Arts Commission.

An authority on the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Scott wrote and starred in Ain’t Got Long to Stay Here as a tribute to Dr. King and to teach a generation of students about one of America’s most violent and inspiring times, and the man who literally changed the entire nation. Scott is so convincing in his portrayal of Dr. King, that Coretta Scott King once cornered him between acts of a play to compliment him on his realistic and honest depiction of her late husband. He has performed excerpts of King’s speeches for the Humanitarian Awards Ceremony honoring President Jimmy Carter and was recorded on the March On album benefiting the National Civil Rights Museum. Just a few of the prominent venues in which Scott has recreated Dr. King’s speeches include: the Beacon Theater in New York, the Fox Theater in Atlanta, the Seattle Children’s Theater, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, the Boutwell Performing Arts Center in Birmingham, the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, the Masonic Temple in Memphis, the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma, and the Actors Theater in Louisville.

Scott’s professional work as a writer include the plays Lisa’s Story, Harlem Voices, An American Slavery Play, Stones of Promise, Joyful Noise, When I Grow Up I’m Gonna’ Get Me Some Big Words, Oh Freedom, A Man Named York and The Last Negro.

Scott’s film and television roles include appearances in I’ll Fly Away and Rescue 911, and a recurring role as a minister in the successful series In the Heat of the Night. Many people recognize him as the disabled Vietnam Veteran in the award winning Travis Tritt music video trilogy, Anymore. He also co-starred with Jim Varney in the Touchstone picture, Ernest Goes to Jail. Scott’s talents were tapped as Script Consultant in Slam Dunk Ernest and he was featured in the role of Captain Jackson in The Expert, starring Jeff Speakman.

He has performed for the Tennessee Repertory Theatre in many productions including Fences, Macbeth, Othello, Taming of the Shrew, Blood Knot, Man of La Mancha, Camelot, Jesus Christ Superstar, Pirates of Penzance, Evita, Ain’t Misbehavin’, and Big River.

He has conducted workshops on acting and has received several awards including the Ingram Fellowship Award for Theatre and the Partnership in Access and Appreciation Grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission. He also won the Ralph Edmondson National Award for Play Writing for Lisa’s Story, which he wrote, produced, directed and starred in.

Scott is a much-requested motivational speaker, lecturer and orator. His leadership speech Courage To Lead is a regular part of the curriculum at the prestigious Owen School of Management at Vanderbilt University.

Scott created the Living With Theatre program – a forum to discuss important social issues with school aged children. He was the moderator for the Let Me Speak and Be Heard program for the Metropolitan Nashville School system. He also wrote and directed the video series, Stones of Promise, an inspirational teaching tool celebrating the black family for United Methodist Communications. He wrote Oh Freedom, a play with music that starred Scott and Grammy award winner Patti Austin along with the Nashville Symphony. Scott was recognized for his altruistic work by being named Nashvillian of the Year in 1993.

In 2004 Scott received rave reviews for his performance in the play Looking Over The President’s Shoulder directed by Emmy Award winning actor Mr. Robert Guillume. In 2005 Scott was named Best Actor by the Nashville Scene Newspaper for his starring role in August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson directed by the Tony Award winning producer-director Mr. Woodie King Jr. In an interview with the Tennessean Newspaper Mr. King commented that “ Barry Scott is a brilliant artist. He easily moves from actor to playwright to director. In a unique world of theatre, Barry has mastered each, and he is so giving. He shares his knowledge with younger blacks who want to be a part of the black theatre. He always brings new insights into a rehearsal.”

Scott’s voice can be heard on commercials and PSA’s around the country. He has voiced work for ESPN (the National Football Leauge - Regular Season Games, Playoff Games & the Super Bowl, The National Basketball Association - Regular Season Games, Playoff Games & the Championship Finals, Professional Baseball – Home Run Derby, the NHL, and the PGA), CBS, ABC, NBC, Disney, SPIKE TV – TNA Wrestling,The Discovery Channel, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King, McDonalds, The American Heart Association and many more.

PAST NACA SHOWCASING ARTIST
Barry Scott's Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
An authority on the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Barry Scott created his tribute to Dr. King to teach a generation of students about one of America’s most violent and inspiring times and the man who mobilized a generation of people and changed the world. In this hour long program, Mr. Scott discusses Dr. Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement in his lecture and actually becomes Dr. King recreating some of his most inspiring speeches. This powerful presentation is followed by a Q&A session. Mr. Scott performed Dr. King’s speeches for President Carter and in performing arts centers and college campuses across the country.
Barry Scott’s “Ain’t Got Long To Stay Here”
An authority on the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Barry Scott wrote and stars in his one-man play based on the life of Dr. King to dramatize one of American’s most violent and inspiring times and the man who mobilized a generation of people and changed the world. In this hour and a half presentation, Mr. Scott recreates numerous figures from the Civil Rights era, presenting differing opinions and personalities to capture what Dr. King actually faced. The performance is followed by a Q&A session. Mr. Scott has performed “Ain’t Got Long To Stay Here” at the prestigious Alabama Shakespeare Festival, the Beacon Theater in New York, the Fox Theater in Atlanta, and the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.
Different Doesn’t Mean Wrong: Learning about Diversity
Growing up in the Jim Crow era in the south, Barry Scott vividly remembers the “color line” and the racial etiquette used in the day-to-day affairs between blacks and whites. Today, as an educator at Tennessee State University and dealing with hundreds of diverse college students each year, Scott discusses how diversity has morphed from strictly an issue about race to socio-economic, religious, and gender issues. In “Different Doesn’t Mean Wrong,” Scott focuses on the fact that diversity is not confined to minority groups and is not about agreement, but rather, about respect. Be it a school, in the workforce or in the community, in order to overcome inflexible beliefs about a particular group of people, Scott teaches students how to recognize biases. The first step is to recognize your feelings. Are your feelings based on fact? From where did your information come from? Have you let one negative experience affect all experiences? Once you recognize your commonality with others, bias can be overcome. This interactive presentation is designed to lead attendees through the process of identifying bias, embracing diversity, and creating respect.
From I Have a Dream to Yes We Can: An American Story about the Struggle for Equality
With the election of the United States’ first black president in Barack Obama, it is clear that the dream of Dr. King has come a long way. While bigotry and ignorance may still exist, America has now, more than ever before, perhaps faster than anyone thought, fulfilled its promise as the land of opportunity – she shines as a beacon of limitless potential for all her citizens and sends a powerful message to the rest of the world. From I Have A Dream To Yes We Can chronicles America’s struggle for equality through the words of Dr. King and Barack Obama as interpreted by Barry Scott. Scott’s performance is a dynamic testament that the words of these two great Americans are not only important but are the building blocks for remarkable social change.
The Courage to Lead
Barry Scott is a regular guest lecturer at the prestigious Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management Leadership Seminar. A proponent of fusion leadership, Scott promotes the principle of the coming together of whole individuals to accomplish mutual goals based on shared vision and values instead of the traditional fission leadership style used for centuries. Scott shows how great leaders are those who engage not only the bodies and minds of their peers, but also their hearts and souls. This approach supports personal growth and ingenuity—qualities that facilitate true change. In practical terms, Scott teaches how individuals and organizations can grow together and unleash subtle forces—mindfulness, vision, heart, courage, communication, and integrity—which can fundamentally transform organizations. This interactive program is a growth session that can be presented as a 60 minute lecture or a three hour workshop.

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Barry was absolutely amazing in all aspects. He gave a powerful, moving performance and even stayed to chat with some of the guests after the show. Thanks for everything!

Britni Miller, Student Life Coordinator, Treasure Valley Community College

MORE REVIEWS

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Bestselling Author of Permanent Midnight and I, Fatty

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