The MusicianShip

Greg Watkins is a pianist, singer, musical director, choral conductor, composer, educator, actor and a brilliantly-pure entertainer. Watkins is a graduate of The Duke Ellington School of the Arts and Howard University (B.M. Music Education). Additionally, he is a former student of Catholic University, where he pursued his Masters in Vocal Performance. Watkins is the recipient of awards in honor of Dr. Quincy Jones (ASCAP Foundation/Cherry Lane Foundation/Music Alive) and The Raney-Moss Group for his work in production, composition, performance, and musical direction. He is also the recipient of the Coalition for African-Americans in the Performing Arts' Emerging Artist Award (2015) and a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Ensemble in The Gospel At Colonus (WSC Avant Bard). Most recently, Watkins was named Outstanding Supporting Actor in Legally Blonde (Keegan Theatre). Greg has appeared in several operas and theatrical productions here in the Washington Metropolitan area, including Tazewell Thompson’s Jubilee (Arena Stage), Elton John and Tim Rices' Aida (Constellation Theatre Company) and The Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadows (Opera North). In the new PBS Documentary, Beyond the Mask (chronicling the life of prolific literary artist Paul Laurence Dunbar), Greg is featured as a voice actor and singer.Greg Watkins has musically directed several productions, including The Poet Warriors (2010 Capital Fringe Best Musical Award), Stormy Weather (The In Series), The Dead (Scena Theatre), Crowns (Delaware Theatre Company), Dreamgirls (The Duke Ellington Theatre) and the nationally acclaimed staged-reading of Christina Ham’s Four Little Girls (Project 1Voice/John F. Kennedy Center). It was during this final project that he worked alongside prolific composer, Kathryn Bostic, and Tony Award-winner, Phylicia Rashad. Greg Watkins is the composer and lyricist of a new and soon-to-be commissioned work, DIAGNOSED, written by Helen Hayes Award-winning actress, Iyona Blake. Previously, Greg served as Artistic Staff Director of The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington. Currently, he is in his 11th year as Artistic Director of The MusicianShip's Washington Youth Choir. He is also the Minister of Music at Dayspring Community Church in Lanham, MD.