Ray Shell

Doctor Tambourri

Ray Shell can be seen in Lee Daniels’s Ocaar and Golden Globes nominated and critically acclaimed feature film ‘The United States vs. Billie Holiday’

Ray has been a permanent fixture in London’s West End since 1978, starring in original productions including Starlight Express, Ain’t Misbehavin, Miss Saigon, The Lion King King and The Bodyguard. He covered James Earl Jones in Driving Miss Daisy (West End), played Joe Keller in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons (Talawa Theatre Company), and recenttly played Emil Foley in Curve Theatre’s An Officer and a Gentleman The Musical which was directed by Nikolai Foster. He is also the creative director of London’s Giant Olive Theatre Company, for which he has directed A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, Zip, and The Tulip Wars. Ray’s production company TAIP_LAB is currently developing the new stage version of ICED: BLACK THOUGHTS IN AN EARLY MOON and Ray and Chris Van Cleave’s 50’s gospel/blues musical STARBOY.

Ray’s written works include his internationally acclaimed debut novel ‘Iced’ which is an upcoming film produced and directed by Daniels. Ray’s current novel, Carolina Red is an AMAZON.COM number 2 Best Seller and his biography, Spike Lee: The Eternal Maverick is an AMAZON.COM number 1 Best Seller both are published by Street Angels Books. Ray has written articles and short stories for the New York Times, the Guardian, Serpent’s Tail, and Penguin Books. Follow Ray Shell on TWITTER @rayshell; INSTAGRAM @streetangelsbooks