David Emerson Toney is a multifaceted artist, boasting a career spanning thirty-two years as a playwright, screenwriter, and actor. In addition to his impressive body of work, he is also an assistant professor of Theatre, where he teaches acting, directing, and playwriting.
Toney's extensive acting career has taken him across various mediums, including film, television, and Broadway. His notable film and TV credits include appearances on popular shows such as Law and Order, Law and Order SVU, The Cosby Show, The Thomas Crown Affair, and All My Children, where he played the recurring role of Dr. Marquay.
On stage, Toney has made a significant impact, with credits including the Broadway and World Tour production of Juan Darién, directed by Julie Taymor, and the Broadway production of A Free Man of Color, directed by George C. Wolfe. Off-Broadway, he has performed in notable productions such as Richard III at the Pearl Theatre Company and Once on this Island at Playwrights Horizons.
Regionally, Toney has appeared in numerous productions, including Measure for Measure and The Tempest at the Folger Theatre, The Persians at The Shakespeare Theatre, Othello at The Shakespeare Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, and the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and Much Ado About Nothing at The Shakespeare Theatre, where he portrayed the role of Don Pedro. He has also appeared as Doaker in Arena Stage's production of The Piano Lesson.
Toney's impressive performances have earned him numerous accolades, including the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Actor in a Resident Play for his role as Holloway in African Continuum Theatre Company's production of August Wilson's Two Trains Running. He has also received The James MacArthur Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Resident Play.
