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KAREN CHILTON is a New York-based Writer/Actor whose work has been seen on stage, film and television. A native of Chicago’s South Side, Ms. Chilton received her M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing at NYU-Tisch School of the Arts, and a B.S. degree in Economics from Bradley University. She has extensive musical training from the Chicago Conservatory of Music in classical piano.
She is the author of the critically-acclaimed biography of jazz/classical pianist HAZEL SCOTT: The Pioneering Journey of a Jazz Pianist from Café Society to Hollywood to HUAC (University of Michigan Press) which she has recently adapted for the screen. She is co-author of I WISH YOU LOVE, the jazz memoir of legendary vocalist Gloria Lynne (St. Martin’s Press). She was a contributor to the 75th anniversary commemorative edition of AIN’T NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING: The Apollo Theater and American Entertainment with an essay on blues legend, Bessie Smith.
Her dramatic writing credits include: TREEMONISHA: An Adaptation by composer Damien Sneed & librettist, Karen Chilton (Opera Theatre of Saint Louis 2023-24); THE TONGUE & THE LASH (Opera Theatre of Saint Louis f2021); the chamber opera was directed by OTSL Artistic Director, James Robinson and conducted by Daniela Candillari. Additional works for the stage include: AFRODISIAC (Or Let My People Flow!) (Nominated for New York Theatre Workshop-Golden & Ruth Harris Commission; Finalist for the 2020 Goldberg Prize-NYU Tisch); HEIRLOOM (Semi- Finalist-O’Neill Nat’l Playwrights Conference 2019); CONVERGENCE (Winner of the New Professional Theatre’s Writers Festival). She wrote and performed the libretto for THE SOUL NOW SINGS in collaboration with pianist, Damien Sneed, produced by NPR/New York Public Radio (WNYC) in The Greene Space. Her short plays, BLUE CASSIUS and SWITCH! have been produced in the Obie award-winning theater festivals 48 Hours In Harlem and The Fire This Time Theater Festival. She is a fellow for the Liberation Theatre Company’s Playwriting Fellowship (2020-2021).
An award-winning voice artist and narrator, her voice can be heard on dozens of audiobooks and tv/radio campaigns.
Her affiliations include membership in the SAG/AFTRA, AEA, ASCAP, The Dramatists Guild, Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), The Toni Morrison Society, and New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT). www.karenchilton.com
www.karenchilton.com
