Keaton Wooden is an American writer, composer, lyricist, and producer from New York. In a career spanning genres and mediums, Wooden has been nominated for the Rhodes scholarship, the Kleban Prize for libretto writing, the Relentless Award from the American Playwriting Foundation, winner of the American Film Market Pitch Conference, and nominated for an Emmy in ethnographic filmmaking.
As a writer and composer Wooden co-composed “Albert Cashier” (music, lyrics), “Hills On Fire”, and “Paper or Plastic” with transgender Americana artist Coyote Joe Stevens. Their work was hailed as “musical genius at work” and nominated for the Chicago Jeff Awards for best new musical. Wooden also created musicals and feature projects with artist Grayson Selby, including the musical/film “Connections” (with the head of the Second City Film School) the award-winning feature script “Time Piece” and an adaptation of the Adam Sandler film “50 First Dates” with the original screenwriter George Wing. Wooden has been awarded residencies at UC Davis (Granada Artist in Residence), University of Florida (by Tony-winning producer John Pinckard), Columbia College Chicago, the New York Musical Theater Festival, concerts at 54 Below and Victory Gardens. He has been nominated for the Kleban Prize for libretto writing, the Script Pipeline best feature screenplay prize, the Relentless Award for musical theater by the American Playwriting Foundation, finalist for the London Film Awards, winner of the American Film Market Pitch Conference with Cassian Elwes, and has films and musicals in development with the producers of the Oscar-winner “Crazy Heart,” “Kite Runner on Broadway” and “Beautiful: the Carole King Musical.”
As a Producer Wooden’s social justice film “Kenneth Chamberlain” with EP Morgan Freeman was winner of the Austin Film Festival Jury and Audience Award. He also produced the world-premiere of Irvine Welsh’s stage adaptation of worldwide sensation “Trainspotting USA” as well as plays by Kristiana Rae Colon, Andrew Kramer, and the Off-Broadway sensation “5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche,” the feature “Rounding” by SXSW winner Alex Thompson and has series in development with the Producers of “Crazy Heart” and “Trial of the Chicago Seven.” His films have sold to major networks, and have won the Prism Award, Audience and Jury Prize at the Austin Film Festival. Wooden apprenticed under executives at 20th Century Fox and creators of shows like “Halo” and “Man on Fire.” Wooden is also a founding member of the Chicago Commercial Collective and Tall Order Financial, which specialize in innovative financing structures for theater and film.
A Rhodes Scholar nominee, Wooden studied Modern Literature and Critical Theory with the SCIO program at the University of Oxford England and is a graduate of Ball State University. He has presented research on the entertainment industry and the humanities at the University of Oxford England, IFP Chicago, Kingston University, Wheatstone Academy, and the Screen Actors Guild. He also is a guest moderator and creative feedback consultant/instructor for the Screen Actors Guild in Chicago and IFP Chicago.