Real name: Kwame Kwei-Armah (née Ian Roberts)

British actor, playwright, director, singer, and broadcaster.

Born: 24 March 1967 in Hillingdon, London, UK.

Kwame Kwei-Armah OBE, was born and raised in the Southall area of West London as Ian Roberts. After stage school in Acton, and a brief music career, he took the leap into theatre and acting. Following a trip to his ancestral homeland of Ghana, he changed his name to Kwame Kwei-Armah.

Getting his major break in BBC drama "Casualty", he soon became artist in residence at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre, with many of his plays transferring to the National Theatre in London.

He then did an influential tenure in the US at the State Theatre Of Maryland in Baltimore, beginning with one "One Night In Miami" (2015). Introducing productions with both commercial and popular success, along with critical acclaim.

In 2018, he returned to his home town of London, to be artistic director of the Young Vic Theatre in Lambeth, opening with a musical version of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" set around Notting Hill Carnival (reprised from his 2016 NYC production). Following with production "Tree" with actor Idris Elba. Under his artistic directorship, the Theatre has continued to encourage new and relevant plays to expand the repertoire of both the local community along with that of upcoming actors/directors/producers.

He also continues to direct other works, including musical productions in NYC and beyond, and taking the Young Vic in London into its 50th year celebrations.