How do you honor your creative timing in a culture that often has other priorities? In this episode of our Playwright Mini-Series, Jennifer sits down with playwright and actor, Ngozi Anyanwu, for a conversation about claiming your artistic voice, holding your ground in the industry, and creating work that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. Ngozi shares how her background as a performer informs her playwriting, why specificity in storytelling leads to greater connection, and practices for protecting and honoring your process. Together, they explore how to write without feeling boxed in, how to build a creative ecosystem that supports you both artistically and financially, and why a community of trusted collaborators, champions, and truth-tellers is essential to longevity. Whether you’re a playwright shaping your first draft or an artist ready to expand your body of work, this conversation is a reminder to stay true to your voice, honor the stories only you can tell, and trust that your truth has a place on stage.

About Ngozi: Ngozi Anyanwu is a multi hyphenated storyteller most recently seen performing in Nathan Alan Davis‘s THE REFUGE PLAYS at Roundabout Theatre with New Theatre workshop in 2023. Her upcoming play THE MONSTERS will make its world premiere at Two River Theater coproduced with Manhattan Theater Club in the 25/26 seasonin which she’ll also direct. Her most recent play LEROY and LUCY premiered at Steppenwolfe Theater in this past fall of 2024. She’s a 2020 Steinberg Playwright Award winner.. Previous productions include LAST OF THE LOVE LETTERS at the Atlantic Theater Company, GOOD GRIEF (Vineyard Theatre NYtime’s Critic’s pick in NYC / Center Theatre Group in LA) and THE HOMECOMING QUEEN (sold-out world premiere run and a NYtimes’s Critic’s pick at the Atlantic Theatre). GOOD GRIEF was on the Kilroys List 2016 and a semi finalist for the Princess Grace Award, and won the Humanitas Award. THE HOMECOMING QUEEN was on the Kilroys List 2017 and was a Leah Ryan Finalist. Her play NIKE… (Kilroys List 2017) was workshopped at The New Black Fest in conjunction with The Lark and The Strand Festival in conjunction with A.C.T and Space on Ryder Farm and New York Stage and Film. Ngozi also has been commissioned by NYU, The Old Globe, Two Rivers Theatre, The Atlantic Theatre, and Steppenwolf. Anyanwu has also received residencies from LCT3, Space on Ryder Farm, the Djerassi Resident Artists Program, The New Harmony Project, New York Stage and Film and Page 73. She attended Point Park University (BA) and received her MFA in Acting from University of California, San Diego.

Ngozi's IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gozeface

The Monsters - Two River Theater

The Monsters - Manhattan Theatre Club

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