Layon Gray, a visionary playwright, director, and developer of stage plays and films, has spent over two decades crafting a diverse array of cultural movements. His journey began in 2000 when he moved to Los Angeles, where he swiftly rose to prominence as one of the city's premier playwrights, earning an impressive tally of over 60 nominations and awards for his works.
Throughout his illustrious career, Gray has received numerous accolades, including the prestigious 2018 Carbonell Awards for Best Director, Best Ensemble, and Best Production. Other notable honors include the 2016 Broadway League Fellowship, the 2012 NYC Inspire Award, the Al Sharpton Man of Vision Award, and the PCTF Award for Best Director, among many others.
Gray's impressive list of awards and nominations continues with the 2010 New York Audelco Award for Achievement Award for Excellence, the 2009 NAACP Award for Best Ensemble Award, the Hollywood ADA Award for Best Ensemble Award, and the MATCH-LIFE Artist of the Year Award in 2008.
In 2007, Gray received the NAACP Award for Best Producer and Best Play, as well as the MITF Award for Best Play, Best Writer, Best Director, and Best Producer. The following year, he took home the NAACP Award for Best Play, and in 2005, he won the Hollywood ADA Award for Best Play.
Gray's continued success is evident in his 2004 Hollywood ADA Award for Best Play, Best Writer, and Best Director, as well as his 2003 Los Angeles MADDY Award for Best Play, Best Writer, Best Director, and Best Ensemble.
Presently, Gray's play Black Angels Over Tuskegee, a powerful tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, is enjoying widespread acclaim and buzz in its 10th year Off-Broadway. The play has been performed worldwide and has also been presented privately for esteemed organizations such as the NFL's New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, and Los Angeles Chargers.
In September 2019, the city welcomed Gray back with a sold-out performance of Black Angels Over Tuskegee at the Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center, where he was presented with a proclamation declaring September 13 Layon Gray Day by the mayor.
Gray's upcoming projects include the development of his plays Kings Of Harlem and Cowboy, both of which are being adapted into feature films.
