Ron Simons, the actor-turned-producer whose repertoire included Tony Award-winning Broadway exhibits in addition to Sundance Movie Competition alternatives, has died. He was 63.
Simons’ New York-based manufacturing firm, SimonSays Leisure, introduced the Wednesday loss of life of its chief government in an announcement posted Thursday on social media. “It’s with heavy hearts that we share the sudden passing of our beloved, blessed, and extremely favored buddy, Ronald Keith Simons,” the assertion stated.
The missive stated a funeral is the works however didn’t reveal extra particulars about Simons’ loss of life, together with a reason for loss of life or survivors. A SimonSays consultant didn’t instantly reply Friday to The Occasions’ request for extra info.
“An enormous tree has fallen within the Black Broadway neighborhood,” Tony-nominated producer Lamar Richardson tweeted. “Ron walked in order that many people might run on this trade.”
“The Mamalogues” and “Single Black Feminine” playwright Lisa B. Thompson additionally mourned Simons on X (previously Twitter), writing, “we’ve misplaced considered one of our brightest lights.” Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan additionally paid tribute to “legendary Detroiter” Simons, whom he honored with a key to the town in 2022.
Simons, born in Detroit on Nov. 30, 1960, started pursuing an leisure profession in his late 30s after greater than a decade working for tech firms HP and Microsoft. “On the tender age of 39,” as Simons put it for Forbes in 2017, he enrolled in drama faculty on the College of Washington, finally embarking on a path to producing that may yield 5 Tony Award nominations and 4 wins.
“I began feeling I wasn’t excited concerning the sort of roles I used to be auditioning for or the initiatives that have been being greenlit,” he stated throughout a TED Discuss in 2018. “I spotted that I might have extra influence on this planet by not simply performing however producing and creating work.”
In 2012, Simons co-produced a revival of “Porgy and Bess” starring Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis that earned him his first Tony. Within the years that adopted, Simons produced Tony-winning productions of “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” in 2013, “A Gentleman’s Information to Love and Homicide” in 2014 and a revival of August Wilson’s “Jitney” in 2017.
Simons prolonged his producing expertise from stage to display screen with SimonSays, which prides itself on spotlighting tales of underrepresented communities. SimonSays produced the 2011 Sundance Movie Competition choice “Gun Hill Street,” which facilities on a latest parolee struggling together with his son’s transgender life. Simons additionally produced “Viva Verdi!,” a documentary that follows aged musicians as they proceed performing and mentor up-and-coming expertise.
“We search to inform tales that may allow audiences to attach, talk and act,” he stated in his 2018 TED speak.
His manufacturing credit embrace the movies “Night time Catches Us,” “Blue Caprice” and “Mom of George” and performs “Hughie,” “The Gin Recreation” and the all-black Broadway manufacturing of “A Streetcar Named Need,” amongst others. Forest Whitaker, Danai Gurira, Leslie Uggams and Cecily Tyson have been among the many Black actors who starred in Simons’ productions, in accordance with his web site.
Simons earned a bachelor’s diploma from Columbia Faculty, an MBA from Columbia Enterprise Faculty and an MFA from the College of Washington.
His profession additionally included appearances in regional theaters together with Cincinnati Playhouse within the Park and minor roles in TV and movie initiatives together with “27 Clothes,” “Regulation & Order,” “The Resident” and “Succession.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.
