Darius T.Q. Colquitt

Born June 10th 1986 on the South Side of Chicago, Darius “T.Q.” Colquitt has been a contributor to the Arts from the age of six. The only child to the union of Diane Simmons & Darwin Kevin Colquitt (by adoption from Darwin's brother, Henry) Darius grew knowing Diane and Darwin as Mom and Dad and entrusting them with his dream of becoming a performer. By the time Darius turned seven, he booked his first official “gig” with the infamous Harpo Studios as a stand-in for Child Star, Norman Golden (of “Cop & ½” fame) and scenic extra in the ABC Film “There Are No Children Here”. This project introduced him to Oprah Winfrey, Keith David and the Late Maya Angelou and also got him recognition by way of a series of child performer auditions (McDonald's, “Angels In The Outfield”, “The Little Rascals”) none of which he booked. His next “Claim to Fame” came at age 8 when he booked his first of two “Subway Restaurant” spots (“Doin' The Monkey” & “Walk This Way”. It was evident to Little Darius that this was the life he was meant to have.

By Age 16, Darius started managing his own career. There wasn't an audition that he would miss. His drive landed him in numerous stage productions across the Chicagoland area including works with Cornerstone Productions ('The Wiz: Remix', 'Dreamgirls'), ETA Creative Arts Foundation ('Blue Hues of Hughes', 'Ama & The Magic Toy Box', 'Home: The Musical'), Chocolate Chips Theatre Company ('Song on the Shore', 'Brother, Man', 'Blue Monday', 'Moyenda and the Golden Heart'), and the illustrious Black Ensemble Theatre (Plays With A Purpose, A Tribute to the Black Crooners: Yesterday Today & Tomorrow, The Other Cinderella).

By Age 21, While attending Grand Rapids Community College, Darius continued to set his sights higher. He garnered a Grand Award Nomination for his outstanding lead performance as Buddy Layman in GRRC Players' “The Diviners” and a win for his dynamic portrayal as Christopher in “Blue/Orange”. He was well adjusted within the Theatrical World of Chicago and was becoming something of a name in Grand Rapids, MI. After much consultation with mentors and professionals in the field, Darius embarked upon the journey of initiating his own theatrical foundation, Nu Xpression Theatrics. Through this endeavor, Darius has written & produced a number of productions and benefit concerts including “A Look Through Our Eyes”, a dramatic production centering the lives of 8 individuals directly & indirectly affected by the September 11th World Trade Center attacks. A deeply moving production that tapped into the psyche of many patrons, audiences were left spellbound and with tears, welling up in their eyes and hearts full of emotion.

Forever the visionary, “T.Q.” continued to create various business plans and initiatives through other companies he worked with such as CUTTA (Cultural Understanding Through The Arts), an initiative proposed to the Jewish Theatre of Grand Rapids for inspiring youth and teens to connect and make wise decisions using the Arts as a vehicle. This initiative of connecting and “working together” inspired Darius' second big business venture “Higher Ground Productions”. Meant to be the Artistic version of “ManPower”, it was created to connect Artists to Projects. Shortly after, Darius reconfigured this plan and pushed all of his business ventures into a sole entity entitled “Darius “T.Q.” Colquitt & Company”, founded in 2014.

Today, Darius shows no signs of stopping. He continues to push his brand and the businesses within. He continues to write, sing, dance, create and inspire as long as his body will allow it. His optimism and pursuit of Artistic Excellence, Advocacy and Empowerment drive him forward and show us that something as simple as a dream can ignite a wildfire of change and growth in not just one but the surrounding few that care to be a contributing factor.