Laurie Carlos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Laurie Carlos
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Actress Laurie Carlos
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Laurie Dorothea Smith
January 25, 1949 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | December 29, 2016 (aged 67) St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actress, playwright, director |
| Years active | 1968–2016 |
| Children | Ambersunshower |
Laurie Dorothea Carlos (born Smith; January 25, 1949 – December 29, 2016) was an American actress, writer, and theater director. She was also known for helping new artists in the theater world. Laurie Carlos was an important figure in avant-garde performance art. This means she created new and experimental types of theater.
Early Life and Inspiration
Laurie Carlos was born in New York City on the Lower East Side. Her father, Walter Smith, was a drummer for famous blues and R&B musicians. These included B.B. King and Bo Diddley.
When Laurie was 14, she saw a play called In White America. The actress Gloria Foster performed in it. This play showed Laurie how powerful the stage could be for sharing important messages. She decided then that she wanted to be a part of that.
Laurie graduated from the High School of Performing Arts. At 19, she worked as a casting director. This meant she helped choose actors for shows. She even worked for famous singer Harry Belafonte.
A Career in Theater
Laurie Carlos started her career in New York City. In 1975, she joined the cast of Ntozake Shange's play "for colored girls .... when the rainbow is enuf". She was part of this play from its early days in small bars. She stayed with it as it moved to bigger theaters and then to Broadway. She also appeared in the TV version of the play on PBS in 1982. In this play, she created the role of Lady in Blue.
Laurie also acted in other plays. These included Ntozake Shange's Spell No. 7. She often worked with dance groups, like the Urban Bush Women. Together, they created and performed shows like "Heat" and "Praise House."
Besides acting, Laurie Carlos was a theater director and a playwright. A playwright writes plays. Her plays were known for being poetic and telling stories through feelings and ideas. They often blended history, poetry, and personal experiences. Some of her plays include White Chocolate (for My Father) and The Cooking Show. She was also a co-artistic director for Movin' Spirits Dance Theater Company.
In the 1990s, Laurie moved to Minneapolis–Saint Paul. There, she performed at places like the Walker Art Center. In 1998, she started working at Penumbra Theatre Company. She helped choose plays for the company. One of her main goals was to bring more stories from women to the stage.
Laurie also helped new artists. She worked with a program called Naked Stages. This program supported new talent at Pillsbury House Theatre. She also organized the Late Nite Series. This series showed new works by artists from New York and Minnesota. Some artists she worked with, like Suzan-Lori Parks, became very successful.
Laurie Carlos also appeared in films and TV shows. These included The Landlord and American Playhouse. She worked with many other artists, including dancers, musicians, and writers. Her last performance was in a play called QUEEN in Minneapolis in September 2016.
Awards and Recognition
Laurie Carlos received several awards for her work. She won an Obie Award and a Bessie Award for her performance in Heat. She also received awards from groups like the National Endowment for the Arts. She was given a Bush Fellowship as well.
Personal Life
Laurie Carlos was the mother of the singer Ambersunshower. Ambersunshower is known for her Alternative Soul and R&B music.
Laurie Carlos was diagnosed with colon cancer in September 2016. She passed away on December 29, 2016, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
