Biography
Syd has penned various stage productions in Chicago, Texas, Los Angeles and most recently New York City Off Off Broadway in 2026.. He also wrote and performed his one man show Brother’s Tellin’ which opened for Lily Tomlin’s show, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe in Los Angeles. Syd was then selected for the Mark Taper Playwright’s Program. He went on to write a string of produced plays including, Akashic Permutations, Unsung Heroes and Flossie. Rushing was honored to be a winner in the Queensbury Theatre New Work Playwright series, a semi-finalist in Cine Story’s TV Pilot contest, and a recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award at the Kennedy Center. His play Fannie was developed by August Wilson House and Carnegie Mellon University artists. In addition, he has garnered two development grants with the National Black Theatre. He is grateful to be an inaugural August Wilson Fellow, America's 21st Century Voices winner and honor of being a VIP guest along with Denzel Washington for the August Wilson House building opening.
Mr. Rushing was a top ten finalist for the Screen Craft TV Pilot contest out of 3000 writers nationally. Added to this, he was a winner in the Lift Every Voice grant contest and participated in a development process for his newest play with the creative team in Florida.. After an intensive interview process, he was then selected for the ATG BIPOC Playlab in New Jersey with seven other playwrights. In addition, he was the recipient for another development grant with the prestigious Garden Play Festival in New Jersey. To that end, Syd was a semi finalist for the Dramatist Guild Fellowship out of 600 writers
During the summer of 2024, Syd was honored to be selected for the Kennedy Center's Playwright Gathering inaugural development program in Washington, DC. And the North Carolina Playwright's Lab selected him as one of the top seven playwrights. As a result, Rushing participated in a Play Symposium workshop with celebrated playwright, Aaron Posner. Recently, Syd was honored to be a LAMBDA Fellow for 2025 via the Playwriting/Screenwriting Cohort with professional mentoring from industry writers. Presently, 2026 marks the year of Syd's transition from published writer to published author of his debut book.
He has appeared in American Theatre Magazine and in Broadway World twice.
Syd is a graduate of the B.F.A Acting program via the University of Mississippi, a graduate of New York's American Musical and Dramatic Academy, Writer's Screenwriting Boot Camp in Los Angeles, a certified Texas teacher, AVID certified teacher and a graduate of Texas State University with a M.F.A Dramatic Writing degree. Lastly, Syd worked on the crew for Paramount pictures on shows such as Frasier and Moesha.
Notably, Syd's critically acclaimed play Courting Mayhem was produced Off Off Broadway by Theatre 4 the People and Wildehaus this summer of 2026 to numerous sold out houses. He wrote the play and performed in a key role as "Big Earl" during the run.
Lastly, Syd served as dramaturg for Black Latino Playwright Conference for the play Cup of Life going up for production in Portland, Oregon with Kwik Jones. While, Kwik's newest play was chosen by the Fade to Black playwright festival in Houston. Syd is also a featured actor in the film Horton Foote the Road to Home with Robert Duvall which streams on Apple TV.. His work with Black Latino Playwright winner, La Darrion resulted in his play being developed at the Eugene O' Neill theatre.
His expertise would be musical theatre, playwriting, screenwriting, TV writing, Native American History, African Diaspora History, dramaturgy and a University research scholar.
Mr. Rushing was a top ten finalist for the Screen Craft TV Pilot contest out of 3000 writers nationally. Added to this, he was a winner in the Lift Every Voice grant contest and participated in a development process for his newest play with the creative team in Florida.. After an intensive interview process, he was then selected for the ATG BIPOC Playlab in New Jersey with seven other playwrights. In addition, he was the recipient for another development grant with the prestigious Garden Play Festival in New Jersey. To that end, Syd was a semi finalist for the Dramatist Guild Fellowship out of 600 writers
During the summer of 2024, Syd was honored to be selected for the Kennedy Center's Playwright Gathering inaugural development program in Washington, DC. And the North Carolina Playwright's Lab selected him as one of the top seven playwrights. As a result, Rushing participated in a Play Symposium workshop with celebrated playwright, Aaron Posner. Recently, Syd was honored to be a LAMBDA Fellow for 2025 via the Playwriting/Screenwriting Cohort with professional mentoring from industry writers. Presently, 2026 marks the year of Syd's transition from published writer to published author of his debut book.
He has appeared in American Theatre Magazine and in Broadway World twice.
Syd is a graduate of the B.F.A Acting program via the University of Mississippi, a graduate of New York's American Musical and Dramatic Academy, Writer's Screenwriting Boot Camp in Los Angeles, a certified Texas teacher, AVID certified teacher and a graduate of Texas State University with a M.F.A Dramatic Writing degree. Lastly, Syd worked on the crew for Paramount pictures on shows such as Frasier and Moesha.
Notably, Syd's critically acclaimed play Courting Mayhem was produced Off Off Broadway by Theatre 4 the People and Wildehaus this summer of 2026 to numerous sold out houses. He wrote the play and performed in a key role as "Big Earl" during the run.
Lastly, Syd served as dramaturg for Black Latino Playwright Conference for the play Cup of Life going up for production in Portland, Oregon with Kwik Jones. While, Kwik's newest play was chosen by the Fade to Black playwright festival in Houston. Syd is also a featured actor in the film Horton Foote the Road to Home with Robert Duvall which streams on Apple TV.. His work with Black Latino Playwright winner, La Darrion resulted in his play being developed at the Eugene O' Neill theatre.
His expertise would be musical theatre, playwriting, screenwriting, TV writing, Native American History, African Diaspora History, dramaturgy and a University research scholar.
Research Interests
Howard University selected speaker August Wilson's Traditional/Non Traditional Casting
Native American Spirituality
Yoruba Spirituality
African Diaspora Cause and Effects
US Education Trends
Curriculum k- 12, to College - Best Practices for Learning
Learning Styles
AVID Prep Curriculum
Native American Spirituality
Yoruba Spirituality
African Diaspora Cause and Effects
US Education Trends
Curriculum k- 12, to College - Best Practices for Learning
Learning Styles
AVID Prep Curriculum
Teaching Interests
Pulitzer Prize winning plays
Diverse plays
LBGT cannon
August Wilson cannon
Styles of Theatre, Naturalism, Surrealism, Realism, Absurd
Theatre History
Creating Dynamic Stories
Dialogue
Screenplays across the Century
Diverse plays
LBGT cannon
August Wilson cannon
Styles of Theatre, Naturalism, Surrealism, Realism, Absurd
Theatre History
Creating Dynamic Stories
Dialogue
Screenplays across the Century