Embodying the black diaspora, Antonio Duke is keeping it authentic

Tapping into black spiritualities that captures the soul of the audience with Antonio Duke

Antonio Duke

Antonio Duke is a Twin-Cities based actor and playwright. His artistic aim is to create stories that embody the black diaspora as authentically as possible. In his writing, he focuses on mythology. Within mythos lies intimate and epic circumstances that he’s driven to explore. He conjures most of his muse form black spiritualities; specifically those deities from the Afrocentric Yoruba, Santeria and Vodou traditions.
He is an alumnus of the University of Minnesota/Guthrie B.F.A Actor Training Program.
He has been seen on stages with Penumbra Theatre, Pillsbury House + Theatre, Climb Theatre, Nebraska Shakespeare Festival, and the Guthrie Theatre. His solo performance play Ashes of Moons premiered at Pillsbury House Theatre’s as a part of their Naked Stages Fellowship, and his other solo performance play Tears of Moons was accepted into the Guthrie Theatre’s Solo Emerging Artist Celebration. He recently received both the Artist Initiative Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board and Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship for his next solo piece Missing Mississippi Moons. He is the Co-Artistic Director of The Black Ensemble Players. You can expect to see him cultivating many more stages as his journey continues to grow.

Antonio Duke answered a few questions from our team, see his answers below

What are some obstacles you had or have to face during your journey?

“Trust is a big obstacle for me. Trusting my artistic processes in the mist of chaos of rehearsal is something that’s going to take a while to master.” said by Antonio Duke