Biography
Edwin Lee Gibson began his run of 103 professional theatre productions at age 16. He has gone on to receive a 2006 O.B.I.E. Award (Outstanding Performance) and the solo cover of The Village Voice for his portrayal of Oedipus in New York Theatre Workshop's production of The Seven. His work has been noted in publications from the New York Times to Theatre Journal (Johns Hopkins). In 2017, he was tapped by theatre auteur, Peter Brook (Lord of The Flies, The Mahabharata) to join Brook's company in residence at Theatre Des Bouffes du Nord in Paris, France. In 2018, he took on the role of comedian-activist, Dick Gregory to sold out houses in the solo play, Turn Me Loose at Arena Stage in Washington, DC. In 2020, Mr. Gibson recurred the role of "Happy" in Fargo, Season 4 opposite Chris Rock and Jason Schwartzman.
"My writing is the extension of the worlds I create as an actor." Edwin Lee Gibson has completed three original pilot scripts, two feature length scripts, one tetrology and three short films since graduating from Point Park University's inaugural MFA program, Writing for The Stage and Screen, in 2016. Mr. Gibson began his writing career with sketch comedy, before spending seven years as a stand-up comic. He returned to New York City theatre and began to write single character, solo plays, most notably Anatomy of a Knucklehead (1999) which ran for 128 shows and the follow-up solo musical, Five 'Til (2001) which ran for 84 shows. Mr. Gibson received a Mondo Canè Performing Commission and a National Endowments for The Arts Writing Commission for a revival of Five 'Til in 2010. He is an original The Moth storyteller and appears on the compilations, Best of The Moth: Stories From The First Ten Years (2006) and The Best Mother and Father Stories From The Moth (2008).
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"Actors are continually blabbing about how to achieve 'truth on the stage'. It happens so frequently that when a show like writer, performer Edwin Lee Gibson's Five 'Til comes along, so full of actual truth, you might not know what hit you."- James Hannaham, Village Voice (NYC)
Every time Edwin Lee Gibson hobbles on as Oedipus, you might not realize that anyone else is onstage. - nytheatre.com "Gibson's Anatomy of a Knucklehead is a well-blended, poetic mix of Shakespearean couplets and hip-hop, stand-up comedy and social commentary." - Lynn Polvino, Shout Magazine (NY
Turn Me Loose would be totally lost without a strong performer... Edwin Lee Gibson embodies (Dick) Gregory to the point that you believe you are watching Gregory himself onstage... If you were to put an original recording and Gibson's performance side by side, you won't be able to tell the difference. His performance is that good. - Elliot Lanes, Broadway World
Gibson is an alluring figure who seems to have transcended the astral plane to embody Gregory fully-his passion, his pain, his youth, and, as he nears death, his aged body. From the way he holds his mouth to the way he swings his hips, he is Gregory in a nuanced, engaging performance that makes you feel a part of something profound... the rawness of his emotion-deftly channeled by Gibson. -Kelly McCorkendale, DC Theatre Scene
Gibson's performance is indelible. It seems like he put on the iconic black suit of Gregory and became the man... He shows Gregory's confidence and easy manner onstage, juxtaposed by his challenges and demons offstage... The result is culturally engaging, but also emotionally compelling from first joke to last refrain. -Brian Bochicchio, MD Theatre Guide
Turn Me Loose hangs solely on the talents of Edwin Lee Gibson as (Dick) Gregory... Gibson easily embodies the comic delivery and the passion of Gregory to the point where it's hard to see how anyone else could capture the man so well. -Diane Metzger, Theatre Mania
Mr. Gibson is a member of Actor's Equity, SAG-AFTRA, The Writers' Guild of America and New York Theatre Workshop's Usual Suspects.
