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Erika Dickerson-Despenza

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Erika Dickerson-Despenza
BornChicago, Illinois
OccupationPlaywright
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison
Notable awards

Erika Dickerson-Despenza is an American playwright. She won the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize in 2021 for her play, cullud wattah.

Early life and education

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Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Dickerson-Despenza graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in English education from the School of Education.[1][2] While at UW–Madison, she started a theater company, The For Colored Girls Project.[3]

Career

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After graduating, Dickerson-Despenza took on teaching jobs. She moved to New York and took a position with People's Theatre Project.[3] In 2019, Dickerson-Despenza quit her non-theatre job to pursue playwriting full time.[4] She was The Public Theater's 2019-2020 Tow Foundation playwright-in-residence.[5]

Dickerson-Despenza's play, cullud wattah, received its first staged reading at Jackalope Theatre in Chicago in 2018.[6] The play follows three generations of Black women living through the Flint, Michigan water crisis. It was featured on the 2019 Kilroys' List, as was Dickerson-Despenza's play, [hieroglyph].[7][8] The Public Theatre had slated cullud wattah to be staged in the summer of 2020, which would have been Dickerson-Despenza's first professional production. However, the production was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] Despite the suspension of all performances of the play, cullud wattah won the 2021 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.[9] cullud wattah opened at The Public Theatre in NYC in November 2021, under the direction of Candis C. Jones.[6]

Dickerson-Despenza's play, shadow/land received a podcast production in 2021 with The Public Theatre.[10] shadow/land is the first installment of a 10-play cycle about the effects of Hurricane Katrina.[11] The second installement, [hieroglyph], was co-produced by The San Francisco Playhouse and Lorraine Hansberry Theatre in 2021 for a digital production.[7][12]

Dickerson-Despenza pulled Victory Gardens Theater's rights to produce cullud wattah in 2022, citing allegations of racism and oppressive values.[13][14] In 2022, it was announced that Dickerson-Despenza would be the first resident playwright of the Ntozake Shange Social Justice Theater Residency, an initiative from the Barnard Center for Research on Women, the Public Theater, and the Ntozake Shange Literary Trust.[15][16]

shadow/land had its off-Broadway debut in 2023.[5]

Personal life

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Dickerson-Despenza identifies as queer and lives in New York City.[17]

Plays

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  • cullud wattah
  • shadow/land
  • [hieroglyph]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Work Result Ref.
2020 L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award (Williamstown Theatre Festival) cullud wattah finalist [18]
2021 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize cullud wattah Won [19]
2022 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play cullud wattah Nominated
2022 Forward Award (Wisconsin Alumni Foundation) n/a Won [1]
2023 PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award n/a Won [20]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Dickerson-Despenza is recipient of Forward Award from Wisconsin Alumni Foundation". University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education. 2022-08-17. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  2. ^ "Meet 2022 Forward Award Recipient Erika Dickerson-Despenza '14". Wisconsin Alumni Association. 2022-08-02. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  3. ^ a b Adhiambo, Charlene (2020-08-14). "Interview with Erika Dickerson-Despenza: 'Write the Thing that Changes the World'". PlayCo. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  4. ^ a b Paulson, Michael (2021-04-07). "Erika Dickerson-Despenza Wins Blackburn Prize for 'cullud wattah'". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  5. ^ a b Culwell-Block, Logan (2023-05-04). "Erika Dickerson-Despenza's Shadow/Land Opens Off-Broadway at The Public May 4". Playbill. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  6. ^ a b Ingenthron, Blair. "Actor's Express to Present CULLUD WATTAH by Erika Dickerson-Despenza Beginning Next Month". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  7. ^ a b Meyer, Dan (2021-03-13). "Erika Dickerson-Despenza and Margo Hall Offer a Sneak Peek at [Hieroglyph]". Playbill. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  8. ^ Clement, Olivia (2019-06-18). "The Kilroys Releases Fifth Annual 'The List'". Playbill. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  9. ^ Thomas, Sophie (2021-04-08). "Erika Dickerson-Despenza wins 2021 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  10. ^ Green, Jesse (2024-04-13). "Review: A Perfect Storm of Weather and Racism in 'shadow/land'". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  11. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (2023-05-05). "Reviews: What Are Critics Saying About Erika Dickerson-Despenza's Shadow/Land Off-Broadway?". Playbill. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  12. ^ Gluckstern, Nicole (2021-03-17). "In '[hieroglyph],' a Tale of Displacement is Brought to Rich, Evocative Life | KQED". www.kqed.org. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  13. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (2022-07-08). "Erika Dickerson-Despenza Pulls Rights to Victory Gardens Theater's Cullud Wattah". Playbill. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  14. ^ Paulson, Michael (2023-03-01). "Why Some Black Playwrights Are Saying Their Shows Must Not Go On". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  15. ^ "Barnard Honored Erika Dickerson-Despenza, the Ntozake Shange Social Justice Theater Residency's First Resident Playwright". Barnard College. 2022-10-19. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  16. ^ "Erika Dickerson-Despenza Crafts Ntozake Shange Social Justice Theatre Residency". American Theatre. 2022-09-15. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  17. ^ Gladstone, Jim (2021-03-09). "Heartfelt, harrowing work: Queer Black theater in the Bay Area". The Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  18. ^ McPhee, Ryan (2020-05-05). "Sanaz Toossi's English Wins Williamstown Theatre Festival's 2020 L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award". Playbill. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  19. ^ "Erika Dickerson-Despenza Wins 2021 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize". AMERICAN THEATRE. 2021-04-07. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  20. ^ Tolin, Lisa (2023-03-06). "'Literature lasts': Erika Dickerson-Despenza basks in career achievement award". PEN America. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
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