a c t i n g n e w s ! ! !
* Nambi BOOKED a role on NBC's CHICAGO MED! 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.
w r i t i n g n e w s ! ! !
PRODUCTIONS:
* Nambi was recently hired on Showtime's THE CHI as a staff writer. Her episode, co-written with Ricardo Gamboa, will air August 2, 2020.
* NATIVE SON will receive its New York premiere at The Duke Theatre July 17-August 24, 2019, produced by The Acting Company, directed by Seret Scott.
* NATIVE SON will receive a production at Playmakers Theatre in North Carolina, Fall 2019, director TBA.
* NATIVE SON received a re-mounted production of Antaeus' production directed by Andi Chapman at The Kirk Douglas Theatre in Los Angeles April 18-April 28, 2019.
* NATIVE SON received a production at Mosaic Theatre in Washington D.C., March 28 - April 28, 2019, directed by Greg Morrison.
* JAZZ, received its west coast premiere at Marin Theatre Company in Mill Valley, California, April 25 - May 19, 2019, directed by Awoye TImpo with composition by Marcus Shelby.
* Nambi's residency at the National Black Theatre in New York concluded with a workshop production of her new play BLOOD. BLOOD just enjoyed a workshop at The Goodman Theatre, director Aaron Todd Douglas.
* NATIVE SON received a production at Yale Repertory Theatre directed by Seret Scott to critical acclaim.
* HANDS UP: 7 BLACK PLAYWRIGHTS: Nambi is one of 7 writers, and the only female voice featured in this dynamic reading series that is also in response to The Black Lives Matter movement, with productions and/or readings all across the country. Check out The New Black Fest's website for production details.
* XTIGONE will receive multiple productions throughout the country this season, including at Wayne State University and the historic Spellman College.
PUBLICATIONS:
* Nambi's poem, BLACK ART NOW was published in The Routledge Companion to African American Theatre and Performance.
* Nambi's NATIVE SON and DEAD OF NIGHT...THE EXECUTION OF, part of the 7 PLAYWRIGHTS OF HANDS UP are available now through Samuel French Publishing! Click on this title for a direct link to the website:
NATIVE SON by Nambi E. Kelley
* XTIGONE was just published by YouthPLAYS and is available for licensing! Click on the title for a direct link to the website:
XTIGONE by Nambi E. Kelley
* Nambi has work published in YouthPLAYS, GO SOLO, a book of monologues for young actors. Click on the title for a direct link to the website:
GO SOLO by YouthPLAYS
* Nambi's co-adaptation of THE BOOK OF LIVING AND DYING was published in Singapore to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of The Finger Players Theatre in Singapore.
COMMISSIONS/AWARDS/RESIDENCIES:
* Nambi was awarded the Prince Prize 2019 which grants $75,000 to Nambi and 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, tba.
* 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 awarded the inaugural Sylvia Sprinkle Hamlin Rolling World Premiere Award at the National Black Theatre in August 2019. The award comes with a commission from North Carolina Black Rep to develop a play based on the life of Dr. Maya Angelou, and guarantees the play 3 productions at NC Black Rep, Hattiloo Theatre in Memphis, and Ensemble Theatre in Houston. The play is in consideration for a commercial run following the rolling world premiere, tba.
* Nambi was a finalist for The Primus Prize for her work on JAZZ, which comes with a $10,000 award.
* JABARI DREAMS OF FREEDOM , commissioned by Chicago Children's Theatre, is in development for a national tour for family audiences through Nambi's residency at New Victory LabWorks in NYC.
* Nambi received an award for BEST ADAPTATION by Stage Raw in Los Angeles for her work on NATIVE SON.
* Nambi completed a Dramatists Guild Fellowship in New York City for their 2018-19 season.
* Nambi completed a LabWorks Resident Artist for The New Victory Theatre in New York City for their 2018-19 season.
* Nambi just made her directorial debut at TheatreWorks Colorado Springs this fall directing a production of RAISIN IN THE SUN to open their 2018-19 season.
* Nambi was just awarded a residency at Space on Ryder Farm for 2018.
* Nambi concluded being playwright in residence at The National Black Theatre in New York City 2015-17.
* Nambi was a finalist for the Francesca Primus Award, a $10,000 prize, for her work on NATIVE SON.
* Nambi was a finalist for the Kevin Spacey Award, a $10,000 prize, for her work on Toni Morrison's JAZZ.
* Nambi was commissioned by The New Black Fest in New York City curated by Keith Josef Atkins to pen a 10 minute play as part of the HANDS UP! an evening of short pieces on the black body and police. The commissioned plays have had/will have several productions across the country, and will be published by Sam French, November 2016.
* Nambi was nominated for a Mellon Foundation Award by Court Theatre.
* 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 was recently hired on Showtime's THE CHI as a staff writer. Her episode, co-written with Ricardo Gamboa, will air August 2, 2020.
* NATIVE SON will receive its New York premiere at The Duke Theatre July 17-August 24, 2019, produced by The Acting Company, directed by Seret Scott.
* NATIVE SON will receive a production at Playmakers Theatre in North Carolina, Fall 2019, director TBA.
* NATIVE SON received a re-mounted production of Antaeus' production directed by Andi Chapman at The Kirk Douglas Theatre in Los Angeles April 18-April 28, 2019.
* NATIVE SON received a production at Mosaic Theatre in Washington D.C., March 28 - April 28, 2019, directed by Greg Morrison.
* JAZZ, received its west coast premiere at Marin Theatre Company in Mill Valley, California, April 25 - May 19, 2019, directed by Awoye TImpo with composition by Marcus Shelby.
* Nambi's residency at the National Black Theatre in New York concluded with a workshop production of her new play BLOOD. BLOOD just enjoyed a workshop at The Goodman Theatre, director Aaron Todd Douglas.
* NATIVE SON received a production at Yale Repertory Theatre directed by Seret Scott to critical acclaim.
* HANDS UP: 7 BLACK PLAYWRIGHTS: Nambi is one of 7 writers, and the only female voice featured in this dynamic reading series that is also in response to The Black Lives Matter movement, with productions and/or readings all across the country. Check out The New Black Fest's website for production details.
* XTIGONE will receive multiple productions throughout the country this season, including at Wayne State University and the historic Spellman College.
PUBLICATIONS:
* Nambi's poem, BLACK ART NOW was published in The Routledge Companion to African American Theatre and Performance.
* Nambi's NATIVE SON and DEAD OF NIGHT...THE EXECUTION OF, part of the 7 PLAYWRIGHTS OF HANDS UP are available now through Samuel French Publishing! Click on this title for a direct link to the website:
NATIVE SON by Nambi E. Kelley
* XTIGONE was just published by YouthPLAYS and is available for licensing! Click on the title for a direct link to the website:
XTIGONE by Nambi E. Kelley
* Nambi has work published in YouthPLAYS, GO SOLO, a book of monologues for young actors. Click on the title for a direct link to the website:
GO SOLO by YouthPLAYS
* Nambi's co-adaptation of THE BOOK OF LIVING AND DYING was published in Singapore to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of The Finger Players Theatre in Singapore.
COMMISSIONS/AWARDS/RESIDENCIES:
* Nambi was awarded the Prince Prize 2019 which grants $75,000 to Nambi and 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, tba.
* 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 awarded the inaugural Sylvia Sprinkle Hamlin Rolling World Premiere Award at the National Black Theatre in August 2019. The award comes with a commission from North Carolina Black Rep to develop a play based on the life of Dr. Maya Angelou, and guarantees the play 3 productions at NC Black Rep, Hattiloo Theatre in Memphis, and Ensemble Theatre in Houston. The play is in consideration for a commercial run following the rolling world premiere, tba.
* Nambi was a finalist for The Primus Prize for her work on JAZZ, which comes with a $10,000 award.
* JABARI DREAMS OF FREEDOM , commissioned by Chicago Children's Theatre, is in development for a national tour for family audiences through Nambi's residency at New Victory LabWorks in NYC.
* Nambi received an award for BEST ADAPTATION by Stage Raw in Los Angeles for her work on NATIVE SON.
* Nambi completed a Dramatists Guild Fellowship in New York City for their 2018-19 season.
* Nambi completed a LabWorks Resident Artist for The New Victory Theatre in New York City for their 2018-19 season.
* Nambi just made her directorial debut at TheatreWorks Colorado Springs this fall directing a production of RAISIN IN THE SUN to open their 2018-19 season.
* Nambi was just awarded a residency at Space on Ryder Farm for 2018.
* Nambi concluded being playwright in residence at The National Black Theatre in New York City 2015-17.
* Nambi was a finalist for the Francesca Primus Award, a $10,000 prize, for her work on NATIVE SON.
* Nambi was a finalist for the Kevin Spacey Award, a $10,000 prize, for her work on Toni Morrison's JAZZ.
* Nambi was commissioned by The New Black Fest in New York City curated by Keith Josef Atkins to pen a 10 minute play as part of the HANDS UP! an evening of short pieces on the black body and police. The commissioned plays have had/will have several productions across the country, and will be published by Sam French, November 2016.
* Nambi was nominated for a Mellon Foundation Award by Court Theatre.
* 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.