Derrick Sanders

Derrick Sanders is the Co-Founder and Founding Artistic Director of Congo Square Theatre Company, and has had the pleasure of performing and directing across the globe. He is an award-winning director and filmmaker that has recently directed the World Premier of Penny Candy at Dallas Theatre Center and Twisted Melodies at Baltimore Center Stage, Apollo Theater (NYC) and Mosaic Theatre. Along with The Island and African Company present Richard III at American Players Theatre. He has directed the Washington, D.C. and West Coast premiers of Will Power’s Fetch/Clay Make/Man at Round House Theatre and Marin Theatre Company. He also directed August Wilson’s Fences at Marin Theatre; The Mountaintop at Virginia Stage Company, Clybourne Park and the world premiere of Beneatha’s Place in repertory for “The Raisin Cycle,” at Baltimore Center Stage. His other credits include August Wilson’s King Hedley II at Signature Theatre and for “August Wilson’s 20th Century” at the Kennedy Center, August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone at Baltimore Center Stage, August Wilson’s Fences and Radio Golf at Virginia Stage, August Wilson’s Jitney and Stick Fly at True Colors Theatre in Atlanta; Sanctified at Lincoln Theater; Gee’s Bend at Cincinnati Playhouse; Topdog/Underdog at American Theatre Company in Chicago; the world premiere of Mr. Chickee’s Funny Money, Bud not Buddy and Jackie and Me at Chicago Children’s Theatre; and the world premiere of Five Fingers of Funk at Minneapolis Children’s Theatre. Sanders was the assistant director of August Wilson’s world premiere productions of Radio Golf and Gem of the Ocean. 

As the Founding artistic director of Congo Square Theatre, he has directed numerous productions and has received numerous awards and accolades for his work. He was named the Chicago Tribune’s Theatre Chicagoan of the Year in 2005. Mr. Sanders' short film Perfect Day, which he wrote and directed has been screened in more than 20 film festivals around the world and has garnered critical acclaim and numerous awards. He is an associate professor in the theatre department at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Founder of Chicago’s August Wilson Monologue Competition. He received his BFA from Howard University and MFA from the University of Pittsburgh.