Nailah is a filmmaker intrigued and inspired by the enduring human spirit, whose films span fiction and nonfiction. Her acclaimed work has been distributed domestically and internationally on the film festival circuit, theatrically and televised.
After a tragic event, two friends find themselves in police custody. A detective interrogates them, testing their honesty, and their friendship. Written by Lance Wise. Directed by J. Mix. It features the talents of Lefty Lucy, Lakeisha Glover & MJ Batley.
Jackie Alexander is an award-winning actor, writer, producer, director, former Artistic Director of The Billie Holiday Theatre in New York, current Producing Artistic Director of The North Carolina Black Repertory Company (NC Black Rep), and Executive Producer of The National Black Theatre Festival (NBTF). Jackie’s debut novel, Our Daily Bread, was published by Turner Publishing. His debut feature film, Joy, on which he served as actor, writer, and director was awarded Best Feature Film by the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame. Blackfilm.com sponsored a national tour of the film that included screenings at the Director’s Guild of America in Los Angeles, the Museum of Modern Art in Chicago, the French Embassy in Washington D.C., and the Walter Reade Theatre at Lincoln Center in New York. The film also earned Best Actor and Best Screenplay honors for Jackie on the festival circuit.
A rare talent who grabs you by the heart and says “Recognize” – Poet, author, performer, songwriter, community “Artivist,” voice over artist, speaker and emcee, Bettina “Poet Gold” Wilkerson is pushing the boundaries of poetry and the spoken word. Living with a chronic illness since childhood, Poet Gold, or as she is affectionately known, “Gold”, brings a soul-searching insight about the human existence, love, dreams, challenges, and triumph.
Toroes D. Thomas Jr. is a filmmaker, he uses his life experiences as inspiration for new stories. Toroes received his B.S. in Screenwriting and Animation from Morgan State University, In 2017. Thomas experienced the sudden loss of his father. Using his father’s passing as inspiration, he directed and co-wrote “The Beach”, a short film about an unforgettable experience. “The Beach” won Best Short Film at the 2019 Denton Black film festival and second place at 2019 made in Baltimore short film festival. Today Toroes is a fellow in the Saul Zaentz innovation grant fund and is gearing up to produce his first feature film “Senior."
Brittany N. Williams is an actress, writer, and nerd of many fandoms who calls the pop culture site Black Nerd Problems her Rebel home base. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Howard University (HU, You Know) and an MA in Classical Acting from the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama (Carrie Fisher’s alma mater for 18 months).
Brittany has performed across three continents—including a year spent as a principal vocalist at Hong Kong Disneyland—and her writing has also been featured on Tor.com and in The Indypendent. She’s currently working on her first novel, That Self-Same Metal, a YA historical fantasy set in William Shakespeare’s London.
Ava Turner, a successful adult romance novelist whose personal life is in shambles and her new Therapist Dr. Myles have a meeting of minds following a melee that lands her on a 72 hour psych hold. Written by Ann McQueen, directed by Troy Poplous, and starring Idella Johnson and Yohance Myles.
Jalea Jackson is an Atlanta-based Editor, Producer, and Director who aims to create films that spark conversation. Through her work, Jalea intentionally focuses on telling stories centered on highlighting the culture and authenticity of marginalized communities and the human condition, all while reclaiming the narrative of stories that are often misconstrued or untold.
Brian Egland is an Artist originally from Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, now residing in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is a Fall 2009 BFA graduate and recipient of Outstanding Graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Performing Arts Department. Brian is an Actor, Playwright, Photographer, Director, Singer, and Educator among other things. As a playwright and creator his works have streamed on Broadway On Demand, garnered him honors of excellence from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region VI, has been Official Selections of the Atlanta Black Theatre Festival, the D.C. Black Theatre Festival, micro development with The National Black Theatre as part of their I Am Soul Playwright’s Residency Program, placement in Southern Rep Theatre’s 4D program, residency with SIPP Culture’s Rural Performance/Production Lab, and over sixty three thousand views across YouTube and IGTV with Workdays with Nijay, a web series he serves as co-writer on.
A coming of age story written by Brian Egland and starring Javian Harrel, Brookes Washington & Micheal Forest. Directed by Chivas Micheal.
RED is a monologue written by Writer’s Lounge host, Ann McQueen. We find Toni, a thirty-something black woman, at the door to the apartment of her connect, Red, in search of a brief escape from the challenges of white supremacy culture at her workplace.
Lydia Y. Nichols is a multidisciplinary writer native to New Orleans. Her work explores the lived experience, ancestral memory, and historical imagery of race and their impacts on our mobility within the bio-social ecologies of the Americas. Lydia’s art criticism and creative non-fiction have been published in 64 Parishes, Bayou Brief, A Gathering of the Tribes Magazine, theGrio.com, The Lens, Pelican Bomb, and Signals Magazine and on her now-inactive blog modern maroon. Independent Curators International, The National Performance Network, The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, the Platforms Fund, and A Studio in the Woods have supported her work with awards, a fellowship, and a residency. Lydia will make her playwrighting debut in Spring 2022 with Don’t Look Away, a speculative dark comedy audio drama, commissioned by No Dream Deferred NOLA Theater Company.
Pamela Davis-Noland is a writer, playwright, director, producer AND special guest on this episode of No Dream Deferred Presents: Writer’s Lounge!
Love’s Letter is our BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month special episode and was written by Pamela Davis-Noland, directed by Lauren E. Turner, and features Idella Johnson as Ruth, and Rhonda Dents as Caroline, with sound design and original music by Asher Griffith. This show is produced by Ann McQueen and Asher Griffith with production assistance from Ilyanette Bernabel.
Sabby is a story about family.
Written by Jessica Lozano. Directed by Lauren E. Turner, and featuring Ilyanette Bernabel as Oralia, Denise Frazier as Norma and Philip Yiannopoulos as Enrique, with sound design and original music by Asher Griffith. This show is produced by Ann McQueen and Asher Griffith with production assistance from Ilyanette Bernabel.
Andrea Thornton Bolden is a television writer with far more credits to her name than there is room for right here, but she lays it out for you in this episode of the Writer’s Lounge. Be sure to like, subscribe, and support us on Patreon for exclusive content!
This is the second installment of our show, and we are so happy to present a short piece written by the host of this show and leader of the writer’s lounge herself, Ann McQueen. St@ined is the story of two sisters with a family secret that both of them struggle to bear in very different ways. Directed by Chivas Micheal and starring Constance Thompson and Idella Johnson.
We are so happy to announce the inaugural episode of Writer’s Lounge, hosted by Ann McQueen and featuring an interview with James Ijames! James is a playwright, performer, director and educator. His plays have been produced by Flashpoint Theater Company, Orbiter 3, Theatre Horizon, Wilma Theatre, The National Black Theatre and Steppenwolf to name just a few. Join us!
