Sekou Laidlow
Sekou Laidlow’s artistry is a fusion of craft, creativity, and commitment. Known for bringing nuance, depth, and specificity to character portrayals, this son of Baltimore is driven by the power of storytelling to transform. He is particularly drawn to roles that call for a conflicted emotional journey and characters who overcome extraordinary odds.
Most recently, Laidlow guest starred as Bobby Purcell in The Resident on FOX. His craftsmanship can also be seen in his guest starring role as Leon Payne in the NBC Series Ordinary Joe. He is a recurring guest star in the ABC mini-series, Women of the Movement as Crosby Smith. He played Harrison Carter in the BET+ episodic Kingdom Business and appeared in Black Adam, starring Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson.
Sekou is currently playing Claudius/Ghost in Hamlet thru February 12th,2023 at Playmakers Repertory. On Broadway, Sekou has been directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Montello in Airline Highway and again for the smash hit, Boys in the Band. One of Sekou’s great joys was to originate the role of Homer in Suzan Lori Parks’ epic, Father Comes Home from the Wars, which won both the Pulitzer Prize and the Kennedy Prize for Drama.
Laidlow appeared in the romantic comedy, Better Off Single, starring Aaron Tveit, and was the supporting lead in The Mend opposite Josh Lucas and Austin Pendleton. His Juilliard classmate, Michael Urie, sought him out to direct him in the comedic web series, What’s Your Emergency?
When not on the stage or on the screen, Laidlow empowers others to share their stories. Through his self-produced podcast, Let Me Introduce Myself, in an intimate, one-on-one- format, Laidlow, and co-host Maxime Paul challenge the myths of Black manhood. Laidlow serves proudly on the Board of Directors of Beautiful Ventures, a creative start-up focused on narrative change and social entrepreneurship. In addition to his Juilliard degree, Laidlow holds a Masters of Divinity from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, where he was a Robert W. Woodruff Scholar.
Arts Disciplines: Theatre/Drama
Core Content Curriculum Areas: Theatre/Drama
Specialized Content Areas: STEAM, Mindfulness Strategies
Grade Levels: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Ages 18-23
Special Populations: At-Risk Students, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students
Additional Populations: Arts & Veterans, Arts in Medicine/Arts in Health & Wellness, Arts & Corrections/Arts in Prisons
Geographic Availability:Metro Atlanta, North Georgia, Middle Georgia, South Georgia
Program Types:
School-based Classroom Workshop(s), School-based Assembly Program, School-based Residency Program
Community-based Workshop(s), Community-based Residency Program, Community-based Summer Program
Hybrid Online and In-Person Content for Schools, Hybrid Online and In-Person Content for Communities, Hybrid Online and In-Person Content for Summer Programs
Program Fees:
- Artist fees – $3,000.00
- Material fees – $750.00
- Travel fees – $125
**Note: These fees are based on more than just the one lesson plan. This is for a 4-week rehearsal and performance process.
Artistic Profile:
A classically-trained actor with over two decades in entertainment, Sekou has appeared in two Tony-nominated plays for Best Play – Boys in the Band (2019) and Airline Highway (2018) – both directed by Joe Montello. Sekou was honored to originate the role of Homer in Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan Lori Parks’ Father Comes Home from the Wars. His range as a character actor is expansive: from Crosby Smith, the uncle of Emmett Till, in the ABC Mini-Series Women of the Movement to the veteran newspaperman, Walter Camp, in VH1’s, The Breaks, to the disabled caretaker Josiah Banner in the CBS series, The Good Wife, to the unjustly incarcerated Bobby Purcell in the FOX series The Resident. On the big screen, Sekou has played opposite veteran actors Josh Lucas and Austin Pendleton in The Mend and guest-starred opposite Aaron Tveit and Kal Penn in the romantic comedy, Better Off Single.
In addition to his love for storytelling through performance, Sekou is dedicated to supporting the healing journeys, justice efforts, and thrivability of Black people, and of Black men in particular. Over the years, he has partnered with community-based organizations and social justice movements such as the Campaign for Black Male Achievement, Auburn Seminary’s multi-faith Mountaintop convening, Tomorrow’s Leaders NYC, and the Marua Pula School in Botswana. During the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and racial reckoning, Sekou launched the podcast, Let Me Introduce Myself, as a space to engage in one on one intimate conversation with Black men, exploring their fears, aspirations, joy, and unique perspectives.
Teaching Experience:
I see my artistry as an extension of my responsibility to my community and have a passion to use my craft to empower others to tell their stories. I am an acting instructor for Arvold-Warner Studio where I teach an on-camera acting technique class and co-created and teach a Small Group Actor Coaching class for seasoned actors seeking to increase their booking outcomes. I served as the Artist in Residence for the Campaign for Black Male Achievements “Rumble Young Man Rumble” Convening in Louisville, KY, and the “Mountaintop Conference,” A Multi-Faith Movement for Justice in Atlanta, GA. I directed and produced shows for various groups, organizations, and ministries for age groups ranging from 7 to 70 years old. I taught acting at Studio 27 Talent, Generation Infocus, City College, the Marua Pula School in Botswana, Africa, Recife, Brazil, the Cunard Cruise, Germany, and more.
Sample Programs:
Lesson Plan 1 – Theater for Kids
LESSON 1: Title: Body & Imagination- Drama- 1st-6th grade- 15 students
Students will need play clothes- Teacher will need board and markers.
The purpose of the first class is for the kids to use their bodies and imagination.
- Activity One: ‘Freeze’-Students will move and freeze at the same time. At the teacher’s signal, the entire class will begin moving. All movements will start out very slow. On the teacher’s signal, the students will freeze. The freeze and move orders will continue, and the speed will increase as the game progresses. The students can come close to people or objects, but they are not allowed to touch anything or anyone.
- GOAL: For students to get used to being in the same space and sensitive to another’s presence without physical touch.
- Activity Two: ‘BAHH’-Students will stand in a circle. One student will be designated to start. That student will turn to a person on either side of them, extend their hands to them and say ‘BAHH’. The student who receives the ‘BAHH’ can give it back to the person who gave it or to the person on the other side of them. There will be three or four rounds of this. The teacher will give them the pace. Optimum results are for them to go as fast as possible without getting confused about who is receiving the ‘BAHH’.
- GOAL: To help students to listen and watch with a relaxed focus, so they learn how to be active listeners that are fluid with giving and receiving.
Sample Lesson Plans/Study Guides:
Program Photos and Videos:
- Listing ID: 6062