We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kerrick Greer a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kerrick , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
When I was in the 8th grade, I waited too long to register for my elective classes which caused my guidance counselor to choose for me. Ironically creative writing was chosen for me, and I was not happy about it. I preferred the Gym or any type of musical course. I reluctantly attended and little by little I began to fall in love with writing and telling stories. I remember one of my assignments was to write a short story about my friends. This was so much fun and after I completed it, I had all of my friends read it and they absolutely loved it. in fact, this turned into a weekly thing where I would write additional chapters to the story, and they would read it every Friday. I had discovered a passion for this that I never knew existed. This class that I did not want to be in initially changed my life and caused me to find my purpose.
Kerrick , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am the co-founder of Showtime Productions which is a non-profit Christian and urban based Theatre Company. Currently, I serve as the Co-CEO, Head of Creative Development and Writer for the organization. I am a native of the Upstate area of South Carolina and have been heavily involved in theatre for over 15 years. My love for the theatre was birthed during my high school years as I was an active member of the Dwight Woods Repertory Theatre. Under the instruction of Dwight Woods. I was able to hone my skills in both the acting and production arenas. My affiliations with the Repertory Theatre also afforded me the opportunity to participate in several high school productions.
My allocates also include performing on stage with Gospel Recording Artist Johnny Sizemore and the award-winning One Accord. The gospel group One Accord is the winner of 5 Rhythm of Gospel Awards. I currently serve as the Creative Director for the group. Adding to my accomplishments, in 2016 myself and co-founder Johnny Sizemore saw a lifelong dream come to pass with the birth of Showtime Productions. To date, Showtime has produced three sequential stages plays, A Cry Nobody Heard, What Lies Beneath and Collateral Damage, one short film, Young N Love , which earned placement in the Second Act Film Festival, and a web series called, If Truth Be Told. I am currently the creator and Showrunner of the hit TV series ” “Complicated the Series” now streaming on Tubi.
I was also Nominated for the Stage Play of the year,”, as well as Playwright of the year, and Up & Coming Playwright and Productions company of the year. In addition to my work as an award-winning playwright for Showtime I am also an accomplished actor. I have been featured on TV One’s, “Fatal Attraction” and “For My Man”. Since the conception of the organization, I have been instrumental in securing Showtime’s presence in the community. Through my co-leadership with Showtime I have created a community initiative called Showtime Shows Up which is an outreach program for under privileged children, as well as a scholarship program that provides a financial award to young deserving and aspiring actors. Showtime is committed to creating, developing, producing and providing an artistically excellent and culturally diverse theatre experience.
I stand on the principle that the theatre experience should be relevant, connectable, and inspiring to the community. All aspects of his life are governed by his favorite quote.
Before the Plan, there is an Idea. Before the Idea, there is a Purpose. Before the Purpose, there is Your Spirit…aching to express Itself!
~ Paresh Shah
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
One of my biggest inspirations is James Bland who is the creator, showrunner, and star of the Emmy-winning drama series Giants. After watching the series, I was blown away, it’s absolutely incredible. The story being told is one that resonated deeply with me. It was also the type of story I desired to tell as a content creator. As I learned more about James, I recognized that his story was similar to mine especially as it relates to setbacks and challenges that arise when operating in the entertainment industry. I see how he conquered his fears and overcame trials and tribulations that tried to block him from being successful.
The series has earned James an Indie Series Award for Best Lead Actor and Best Writing in a Drama as well as multiple Daytime Emmy nominations for acting, writing, and producing. That is something I aspire for and because he is an overcomer, I know I am as well.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative Artist is giving opportunities to others. The entertainment circuit in my hometown of Greenville SC is not a very robust one. There aren’t many opportunities available for filmmakers, writers, actors, directors and etc, especially for people of color. With the content that Showtime Productions Greenville has created so many local creatives have been positively impacted by our resilience in producing quality content in our city. Our desire is to bring the Hollywood experience right here to the update of South Carolina so that the creatives here don’t feel like they can’t follow their dreams unless they relocate to LA, Atlanta, or Newyork.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.showtimeproductionsgvl.com
- Instagram: @ShowtimeProductionsGVL
- Facebook: @ShowtimeProductionsGVL
- Youtube: ShowtimeProductionstv
Image Credits
Johnny Sizemore