w r i t i n g n e w s ! ! !
JUST IN!!
Nambi's play RE-MEMORI was presented at WP Theatre in New York City at the Pipeline Festival in spring 2022, and will celebrate it's world premiere at Penumbra Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota, October 10-November 5, 2023, directed by Chris Berry.
Nambi's Prince Prize winning play, STOKELY: THE UNFINISHED REVOLUTION, will celebrate it's world premiere at Court Theatre in Chicago, May 24- June 16, 2024, directed by Tasia A. Jones.
Nambi is in development with Tony Award winner, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Broadway producer Ken Davenport, and the songwriter team of Emily Phillips and Future Cut to pen the book for a new Broadway musical, TBA.
Nambi is in development with Cinema Gypsy, production company of Laurence Fishburne, to pen a new musical aimed for Broadway about the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, TBA.
Nambi's critically-acclaimed film version of, JABARI DREAMS OF FREEDOM, won a prize for Best Kids Film in Toronto, Canada at the International Black and Diversity Film Festival (IBDFF). Jabari has also accepted to multiple film festivals including in North Carolina, Los Angeles, Paris, 2 festivals in India, and was screened in Africa in November 2022.
JABARI DREAMS OF FREEDOM, the live version, directed by Daniel Carlton, was named 1 of 5 things to do in New York City as cited by The New York Times, and is gearing up for a second national tour for 2023!
TELEVISION/FILM:
Nambi served as a co-producer on the television series, BEL-AIR.
Nambi served as executive story editor for a new limited series for Apple TV+ starring Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram called LADY IN THE LAKE, currently in production in Baltimore.
Nambi is serving as writer for Amazon's CORONA TOWN.
Nambi served as a staff writer on season one for a new television series with producer Lee Daniels and creator/showrunner Karin Gist titled OUR KIND OF PEOPLE on Fox.
Nambi served as a staff writer on season three of Showtime's THE CHI. Her co-written episode titled is Terror Town (Ep 305), currently viewable on Showtime.com.
Nambi is developing a film project with Oscar Award winning executive producers Lagralane Group, project title TBA.
PUBLICATIONS:
HANDS UP: 7 PLAYWRIGHTS 7 TESTAMENTS with Nambi E. Kelley
NATIVE SON by Nambi E. Kelley
XTIGONE by Nambi E. Kelley
GO SOLO by YouthPLAYS
COMMISSIONS/AWARDS/RESIDENCIES:
Nambi was awarded the Prince Prize 2019 grants $75,000 to Nambi and Tony Award winning Court Theatre for a new play Nambi is developing about the life of Stokely Carmichael. This award guarantees a world premiere production at Court Theatre in Chicago, 2023-24 season in Chicago, directed by Tasia A. Jones.
Nambi is currently under commission at Fords Theatre in Washington D.C. She is penning a companion play to her play, BLOOD, about the women of the Nation of Islam title SISTER X, working title. SISTER X will be presented in a workshop festival in January 2024.
Nambi was commissioned by Pittsburgh CLO to create a musical about the young life of Congressman John Lewis that will go on a regional tour 2023. A national tour is slated for 2024-25.
Nambi was just 1 of 4 BIPOC artists in residence at New Victory Theatre in New York City as a special cohort of LabWorks artists. The residency includes one on one coaching, developmental readings of her new play for young audiences, and $15,000 prize!
Nambi was awarded the Writers Grant Award 2019, a $5,000 prize, from The Dramatists Guild Foundation.
Nambi's NYC premiere of Native Son won a prestigious AUDELCO Award for BEST PRODUCTION, November 18, 2019!
Nambi was a finalist for The Primus Prize for her work on JAZZ, which comes with a $10,000 award.
Nambi received an award for BEST ADAPTATION by Stage Raw in Los Angeles for her work on NATIVE SON.
Nambi served as a guest lecturer in playwriting at the University of Illinois at Chicago mentoring aspiring actors and playwrights in dramatic structure and the industry at large.
Nambi's play RE-MEMORI was presented at WP Theatre in New York City at the Pipeline Festival in spring 2022, and will celebrate it's world premiere at Penumbra Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota, October 10-November 5, 2023, directed by Chris Berry.
Nambi's Prince Prize winning play, STOKELY: THE UNFINISHED REVOLUTION, will celebrate it's world premiere at Court Theatre in Chicago, May 24- June 16, 2024, directed by Tasia A. Jones.
Nambi is in development with Tony Award winner, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Broadway producer Ken Davenport, and the songwriter team of Emily Phillips and Future Cut to pen the book for a new Broadway musical, TBA.
Nambi is in development with Cinema Gypsy, production company of Laurence Fishburne, to pen a new musical aimed for Broadway about the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, TBA.
Nambi's critically-acclaimed film version of, JABARI DREAMS OF FREEDOM, won a prize for Best Kids Film in Toronto, Canada at the International Black and Diversity Film Festival (IBDFF). Jabari has also accepted to multiple film festivals including in North Carolina, Los Angeles, Paris, 2 festivals in India, and was screened in Africa in November 2022.
JABARI DREAMS OF FREEDOM, the live version, directed by Daniel Carlton, was named 1 of 5 things to do in New York City as cited by The New York Times, and is gearing up for a second national tour for 2023!
TELEVISION/FILM:
Nambi served as a co-producer on the television series, BEL-AIR.
Nambi served as executive story editor for a new limited series for Apple TV+ starring Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram called LADY IN THE LAKE, currently in production in Baltimore.
Nambi is serving as writer for Amazon's CORONA TOWN.
Nambi served as a staff writer on season one for a new television series with producer Lee Daniels and creator/showrunner Karin Gist titled OUR KIND OF PEOPLE on Fox.
Nambi served as a staff writer on season three of Showtime's THE CHI. Her co-written episode titled is Terror Town (Ep 305), currently viewable on Showtime.com.
Nambi is developing a film project with Oscar Award winning executive producers Lagralane Group, project title TBA.
PUBLICATIONS:
HANDS UP: 7 PLAYWRIGHTS 7 TESTAMENTS with Nambi E. Kelley
NATIVE SON by Nambi E. Kelley
XTIGONE by Nambi E. Kelley
GO SOLO by YouthPLAYS
COMMISSIONS/AWARDS/RESIDENCIES:
Nambi was awarded the Prince Prize 2019 grants $75,000 to Nambi and Tony Award winning Court Theatre for a new play Nambi is developing about the life of Stokely Carmichael. This award guarantees a world premiere production at Court Theatre in Chicago, 2023-24 season in Chicago, directed by Tasia A. Jones.
Nambi is currently under commission at Fords Theatre in Washington D.C. She is penning a companion play to her play, BLOOD, about the women of the Nation of Islam title SISTER X, working title. SISTER X will be presented in a workshop festival in January 2024.
Nambi was commissioned by Pittsburgh CLO to create a musical about the young life of Congressman John Lewis that will go on a regional tour 2023. A national tour is slated for 2024-25.
Nambi was just 1 of 4 BIPOC artists in residence at New Victory Theatre in New York City as a special cohort of LabWorks artists. The residency includes one on one coaching, developmental readings of her new play for young audiences, and $15,000 prize!
Nambi was awarded the Writers Grant Award 2019, a $5,000 prize, from The Dramatists Guild Foundation.
Nambi's NYC premiere of Native Son won a prestigious AUDELCO Award for BEST PRODUCTION, November 18, 2019!
Nambi was a finalist for The Primus Prize for her work on JAZZ, which comes with a $10,000 award.
Nambi received an award for BEST ADAPTATION by Stage Raw in Los Angeles for her work on NATIVE SON.
Nambi served as a guest lecturer in playwriting at the University of Illinois at Chicago mentoring aspiring actors and playwrights in dramatic structure and the industry at large.
a c t i n g n e w s ! ! !
* Nambi will be getting back on stage for a major revival in a project in Chicago, spring 2024, TBA.
* Nambi voiced one of Senator Raphael Warnock's campaign ads for his Georgia's senate race.
* Nambi starred as Detective No Name Dame on a radio play called CHECK YO INVITE TOO written and co-starring Daniel Carlton streamed live via Harlem Stage's YouTube Channel.
* Nambi co-stars on Amazon's CORONATOWN created by Courtney Rackley.
* Nambi BOOKED a role on NBC's CHICAGO MED! Original airdate February 5, 2020.
* Nambi played the role of NYA in PIPELINE by Dominique Morisseau directed by Reg Douglas at City Theatre in Pittsburgh.
* Nambi premiered Off-Broadway playing opposite Broadway great Jeff McCarthy in Jeffrey Sweet's KUNSTLER.
* Nambi BOOKED co-star roles on ELEMENTARY, MADAM SECRETARY, and PERSON OF INTEREST on CBS and CHICAGO PD on NBC.
* Nambi was nominated for a Broadway World Award and a Hattie McDaniel Award for Best Featured Actress for her work as Risa in August Wilson's TWO TRAINS RUNNING at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago.
* Nambi voiced one of Senator Raphael Warnock's campaign ads for his Georgia's senate race.
* Nambi starred as Detective No Name Dame on a radio play called CHECK YO INVITE TOO written and co-starring Daniel Carlton streamed live via Harlem Stage's YouTube Channel.
* Nambi co-stars on Amazon's CORONATOWN created by Courtney Rackley.
* Nambi BOOKED a role on NBC's CHICAGO MED! Original airdate February 5, 2020.
* Nambi played the role of NYA in PIPELINE by Dominique Morisseau directed by Reg Douglas at City Theatre in Pittsburgh.
* Nambi premiered Off-Broadway playing opposite Broadway great Jeff McCarthy in Jeffrey Sweet's KUNSTLER.
* Nambi BOOKED co-star roles on ELEMENTARY, MADAM SECRETARY, and PERSON OF INTEREST on CBS and CHICAGO PD on NBC.
* Nambi was nominated for a Broadway World Award and a Hattie McDaniel Award for Best Featured Actress for her work as Risa in August Wilson's TWO TRAINS RUNNING at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago.