Mfoniso Udofia

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Mfoniso Udofia is a Nigerian-American storyteller, actor, and educator whose work centers on Nigerian immigrant life within the United States.[1][2] Celebrated and well known work from Udofia includes: Sojourners,[3] Her Portmanteau,[3][4][5] runboyrun and In Old Age[6] --- all plays from within her projected nine-play Ufot Cycle. She also works in film/television as a writer-producer on shows like Little America, Pachinko, A League of Their Own and Showtime's, Let the Right One In.

Early life and education[edit]

In the 1970s, Udofia's parents immigrated from Nigeria to Houston, Texas, finally settling in Worcester, MA.[7] Udofia went on to complete her undergraduate degree in political science from Wellesley College.[8]

Udofia then went on to continue her education at the American Conservatory Theater. After graduating with her M.F.A in Acting Udofia moved to New York for work as an actress. Post-graduation, Udofia began writing plays that centered the Nigerian immigrant experience in America.

Work[edit]

Upon completion of her Masters at the American Conservatory Theater, Udofia moved to New York City and began writing plays. The first play she wrote was The Grove, a play which would go on to become the second installation in a nine-play cycle entitled, The Ufot Cycle.[8] The Ufot Cycle follows a Nigerian immigrant family across generations navigating their lives and identities in America. Her plays have had readings and/or productions at: New York Theatre Workshop, American Conservatory Theater, Magic Theater, The Playwrights Realm, Boston Court, Denver Center, Portland Center Stage, Berkeley Rep, The National Black Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, MCC and McCarter Theatre. Her work has been developed at: Hedgebrook, Sundance Theatre Lab, Space on Ryder Farm, New Black Fest and more.[9]

Outside of the cycle she has written a modern translation of Othello [10] for the PlayOn! Festival and compiled a night of her shorts, entitled On Love [11] for MCC. She's also written plays for both radio and the internet with her plays, The Human Experiment [radio],[12] and New Math [Instagram].[13]

In 2018 she began writing for television, starting as a staff writer for the 3rd season of Netflix's, 13 Reasons Why. She has gone on to write for over eight television shows.[14][15]

Ufot Cycle Plays[edit]

Only the four Ufot Cycle plays that have been produced have been listed.

  • Sojourners
  • runboyrun
  • Her Portmanteau
  • In Old Age

Awards/Honors[edit]

Year Award Category Work Results Ref.
2021 Horton Foote Award Won [16]
2018 Edgerton New Play Award In Old Age Won [17]
2017 Helen Merrill Award for Playwriting Won [18]
2017-2018 PWC McKnight National Residency and Commission [19]
2016-2025 New Dramatists [20]
2016 Edgerton New Play Award Her Portmanteau Won [21]
2015 Edgerton New Play Award runbuyrun Won [22]
2015 Edgerton New Play Award Sojourners Won [23]
2015 2nd Annual Kilroy list Sojourners Won [24]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Tran, Diep (2017-05-31). "Nine Plays, One Truth: Mfoniso Udofia on Her Immigrant Experience, and Ours". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  2. ^ "Interview: Mfoniso Udofia, "The Ufot Family Cycle"". KPFA. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  3. ^ a b Green, Jesse (2017-05-17). "Review: For Africans in America, a Temporary Stay Becomes a New Life". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  4. ^ "Review: Exquisitely awkward family reunion onstage at ACT". The Mercury News. 2019-03-02. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  5. ^ "'Her Portmanteau' Is a Moving, Complicated Intergenerational Portrait". SFist - San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports. 2019-03-07. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  6. ^ Janiak, Lily (April 4, 2019). "Review: 'In Old Age' looks young again at Magic Theatre". Datebook. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  7. ^ "Playwright Mfoniso Udofia '06 Reflects on Failing Forward". Wellesley College. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  8. ^ a b "Wellesley College". Wellesley College. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  9. ^ "Home". Mfoniso Udofia. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
  10. ^ Schuessler, Jennifer (2019-04-03). "A Shakespeare Festival Presents Modern Translations. Cue the Debate (Again)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  11. ^ "LiveLabs: On Love". MCC Theater. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  12. ^ "The Human Experiment by Mfoniso Udofia". Playing on Air. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  13. ^ Jolly, Jennifer. "COVID crushed math grades. There's an app for that". USA Today. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  14. ^ "Mfoniso Udofia". IMDb. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  15. ^ Justin, Neal. "Minnesota's Playwrights' Center gets kudos from TV's hottest writers". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  16. ^ Rabinowitz, Chloe. "Dramatists Guild Announces 2021 Horton Foote Award Recipients". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  17. ^ "In Old Age - Edgerton Foundation New Play Awards". circle.tcg.org. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  18. ^ "The Legacy of Helen Merrill: A Love of Theater Lives On". The New York Community Trust. 2021-06-19. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  19. ^ "Mfoniso Udofia awarded 2017-18 McKnight National Residency and Commission". Playwrights' Center. 2017-06-01. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  20. ^ "Mfoniso Udofia | New Dramatists". newdramatists.org. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  21. ^ "Sojourners & Her Portmanteau - Edgerton Foundation New Play Awards". circle.tcg.org. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  22. ^ "Run Boy Run - Edgerton Foundation New Play Awards". circle.tcg.org. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  23. ^ "Sojourners - Edgerton Foundation New Play Awards". circle.tcg.org. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  24. ^ "The List 2015". 2015-04-27. Retrieved 2022-09-28.


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