WordPlay, Young Chicago Authors’ ten year old open mic and workshop series, continues the Fall season with Idris Goodwin and the theme, tall tales & big lies. WordPlay is an open space for teen writers, rhymers, and performers to showcase their work to peers and the public. Each session begins with an hour-long writing workshop, led by a working writer who specializes in topic, genre, or form.

Idris Goodwin has written, produced and directed over a dozen plays in such Chicago venues as The Cultural Center, Athenaeum Theater, The Museum of Contemporary Art and Prop Thtr. In 2004 he was awarded a NEA/TCG Playwright in Residence grant to explore hip-hop aesthetics with Free Street Programs. His play BRAISING was selected in the 2005 National New Plays Showcase at Stanford University and received a world premiere production by Tricklock Theater Company in Albuquerque, NM in February 2006. Idris has been a guest lecturer, performer and writing workshop facilitator at institutions like Young Chicago Authors, School of the Art Institute, DePaul University, Columbia College Chicago and nationally at Yale, the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Sarah Lawrence College and the University of New Mexico.

Recorded Tuesday, October 30, 2007 at Young Chicago Authors.