(S)LAUGHTER: A PLAY ON PAIN:

Black Women in the United States have a deadly legacy of abuse and misuse and my play (s)laughter gives voice to the roots of their /our trauma to unearth a healing. 

(s)laughter’s logline - When Siwatu, a pregnant community activist, is thrown in prison or “standing her ground” she goes into early labor and is forced to give birth in solitary confinement, shackled to a bed. Alone and afraid, she cries out and her epigenetic memory answers the call, bringing help she never envisioned. 

Siwatus epigenetic memory - are her ancestors, comprised of 6 Black Women from pivotal eras in American history. My characters engage in the conversation about “what it means to be a Black Woman”. As this crucial conversation unfolds amongst the backdrop of the birth of a child, the women unearth their trauma and illuminate a path toward healing.

Development & Award History:

Faculty & Career Development Grant/UCLA | 2023

UCLA School of Theatre, Film, & Television Dean Research Fund Award | 2023

Merrimack & Simpatico co-sponsored 29-hour Developmental Workshop | 2022

New Hope Colony Artist Residency | 2020

Seed Grant /Play development recipient | 2019