GeorgeWatskyisawriterandperformerwhobelievesintheequalpowerofthetearandthebellylaugh.BornandraisedinSanFranciscoandnowbasedinLosAngeles,heaimstocross-pollinatethestage,screenandstereowithworkthatspeakstoboththehumorandfrustrationsofmodernlife.
GeorgewasfeaturedonSeason6ofRussellSimmonsPresentsDefPoetryonHBO.Hewasthe2006YouthSpeaksGrandSlamPoetryChampion,2006BraveNewVoicesInternationalPoetrySlamChampion,andperformedinarecordsixconsecutiveYouthSpeaksGrandSlamFinals.Thelastthreeofthoseaudiences,alltoppingoutatover3,000,werethelargesteverforpoetryslamsanywhereintheworld.In2009WatskywasoneofthreepoetswhoperformedliveonFOXattheNAACPImageAwardsinhonorofRussellSimmons’lifetimeachievementaward.
Georgehasmadestridestobringhispoeticsensibilitiestothetheaterworld.Hisone-manshowSoManyLevelshasbeenpresentedinBoston,SanFrancisco,Vermont,andattheHipHopTheaterFestivalCriticalBreaksseriesinNewYorkCity.HehasalsobeenfeaturedattheSanFranciscoandWashington,DCarmsoftheHipHopTheaterFestival.Heplayedthetitlecharacterandco-wrotea2004adaptationofDante’sDivineComedyfortheLivingWordFestivalandhisstageplayHarold’sFallorKingWillistherecipientofthe2009RodParkerPlaywritingFellowship.
Takingittothepageandstereo,George’sdebutpoetrycollectionandCD,UndisputedBacktalkChampion,waspublishedbyFirstWordPressin2006.EditedbynovelistAdamMansbach,thebookiscurrentlyinitsfourthprinting.Asanemcee,WatskyhasperformedonbothcoastswithhisbandInvisibleInc.Thetrio’sselftitledalbum,ablendofjazzandhiphop,featuresR&BsensationPassion.Heservedasaregularon-airpersonalityforWERSBoston’shiphopshow889@Nightforseveralyears.
AnhonorarygraduateoftheCentreforSustainabilityLeadershipinMelbourne,Georgehasemergedaspartofavanguardofartistsinvolvedinthesustainabilitymovement.TheinauguralSpeakGreenwinnerforpoetryonclimatechange,WatskywastwiceinvitedbyRobertRedfordtoperforminSundance,Utah.HeservedashostofGreenMicinSanJose,CaliforniaandoftheculminatingconcertofPowershift2007inWashingtonDC,andperformedatRocktheDebateinOxford,Mississippi,priorto2008’sfirstPresidentaldebate.HisworkhasbroughthimtotheopeningplenaryofGreenCities2008inSydney,Australia,andGreenbuildChicago,wherehetookthestageimmediatelybeforePresidentBillClinton.
Touringwhilefinishinghiscollegeeducationonacondensedschedule,GeorgehasperformedatconferencesanduniversitiesinmorethanhalfthestatesintheUS,andtwoinAustralia,appearingatsomeofthenation’smostnotablevenues,includingtheApolloTheater,theKennedyCenterConcertHall,theSanFranciscoOperaHouseandtheShrineAuditorium.Hehassharedbillingwith,amongothers,Beyonce,StevieWonder,BonnieRaittandMohammedAli.
GeorgegraduatedfromEmersonCollegewithaB.A.in“WritingandActingfortheScreenandStage,”studyingwithKeithJohnstone,KenCheeseman,RobbieMcCauley,SarahHickler,AmeliaBroomeandAndrewClarke.
