ATO BLANKSON-WOOD (Davey) will next be seen starring in Ms. Blakk for President at the Vineyard Theatre. He was recently seen in Measure for Measure at The Old Globe as well as the world premiere production of Jeremy O. Harris’ Spirit for the People at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Prior to that, he starred in the Off-Broadway premiere of Wole Soyinka’s The Swamp Dwellers at TFANA. He also played the role of Clifford Bradshaw in Cabaret on Broadway. He is best known for his starring role in Jeremy O. Harris’ critically acclaimed Slave Play, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award. He also earned nominations for the Drama League and Lortel Awards for playing ‘Gary,’ a role he originated for the New York Theatre Workshop production. Ato played the titular role of Hamlet in Shakespeare in the Park’s production directed by Kenny Leon. Ato also starred opposite Bill Camp and Elizabeth Marvel in Long Day’s Journey Into Night for Audible, which reunited him with Slave Play director Robert O’Hara. Ato had his breakout performance in The Public Theater musical The Total Bent (Drama League and Lucille Lortel Award nomination) which explored the life of a black musical prodigy in a nation on the verge of social upheaval. Ato has also been seen on Broadway in Hair and Lysistrata Jones. Films include Kathryn Bigelow’s Detroit, Spike Lee’s BlacKKKlansman, Worth opposite Michael Keaton, and Peter Hedge’s The Same Storm. Television includes “The Good Fight,” “She’s Gotta Have It,” “Monster: Dahmer,” and Ava DuVernay’s “When They See Us.” Ato is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and the Yale School of Drama.
