Ron O.J. Parson comes to Kuntu from Chicago, Illinois, where he is the Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director for the Onyx Theatre Ensemble, Chicago's newest African-American-based theatre company. A native of Buffalo, New York, and a graduate of the University of Michigan, Ron has worked as an actor at various theatres across the country; including the Studio Arena Theatre in Buffalo, The Mechanic in Baltimore, Studio Theatre in D.C., The St. Louis Black Repertory Co., Wilshire Theatre in L.A., Roundabout Theatre in N.Y. and The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Since moving to Chicago in 1994, Ron has performed at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago Theatre Company, and Chicago Dramatists Playwright Workshop series. He has also worked with the Arts in Education program at Victory Gardens, Court Theatre, and Urban Gateways. Ron is also Asst. Director of "Passport Programs," a Chicago-based Arts-in-Education organization developed to educate, and entertain, using theatrical workshops utilizing original, classical, and contemporary works.

Ron has directed over 30 productions, some of which include Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, No Place to be Somebody, Short Eyes, Day of Absence, First Breeze of Summer, Don't Bother Me I Can't Cope, Steal Away, Livin' Fat, Slow Dance on the Killing Ground, and most recently directed the highly acclaimed Chicago premiere of Eugene Lee's East Texas Hot Links for Onyx Theatre Ensemble. On film Ron appeared in "The Drop Squad," produced by Spike Lee, and "Primal Fear," starring Richard Gere.