Poetry Electric: Writer's Anonymous

Jordan Bonn is a screenwriter, freelance editor, content creator, and drummer based in the tristate area. He's been playing percussion on and off since they were 9 years old.

Drew Woodson is a Western Shoshone playwright based in New York City. He has had his work read in multiple theaters across New York, including Rattlestick Theater where he was asked to open the first annual Northeastern Native Arts Festival with his play “Your Friend, Jay Silverheels.” For this same work, Drew was named Yales Young Indigenous Playwright of 2021 and was workshopped at Yale under the direction of Tara Moses. More recently, Drew completed a two month artists residency on Governors Island for AICH, and had two new works “From Above” and “As We Were, So We Are” read at HERE Arts and The Duke Ellington Room with the Eagle Arts Project. As a writer, Drew seeks to tell stories where Native people are allowed to take up space, be complicated, be the center of attention, and ultimately be more than a storytelling device. Drew is currently completing his MFA in Dramatic Writing at NYU.
Email: dw2710@nyu.edu
Instagram: @woodsondrew

Bianca Nkwonta (she/her) is a Minnesota-born, New York City-based Nigerian-American writer. She is completing a Master of Fine Arts in Dramatic Writing from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she writes stories about the Black and African diaspora, as well as its intersections with Midwestern-ness, womanhood (and the expectations of it), youth, health, wealth, and the pursuit of happiness.

Jenna Ebersberger is a smokey-voiced actress and writer currently getting her MFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU. When not in school, Jenna performs comedy all over NYC and LA as a stand-up, improviser, and sketch comedy actor. She’s a Second City Chicago Conservatory alum, and currently an Advanced Writing Lab student at The Groundlings. You may recognize her voice if you’re an avid podcast listener, as she is a voice-over artist at the Wondery Podcast Network.

Max Reuben (he/him) is a Philadelphia-born, Brooklyn-based playwright, director, and teacher who loves big-hearted, humanistic
theater that attempts to reduce the amount of existential despair and loneliness in the universe. He’s written, directed, and devised work in a diversity of venues, like Joe’s Pub, Ars Nova, The Kraine, The Culture Project, The Brooklyn Lyceum, The Tank, Underground Arts Philadelphia, the Museum of Modern Art, and a very hip apartment in Williamsburg. Max is currently working toward his Master’s Degree in Dramatic Writing at New York University, and teaching first-year playwriting at Playwrights Horizons Theater School (also at NYU). It’s a lot, but he’s into it. www.maxreuben.com

Joy Imani Lackey uses writing as proxy for prayer. She’s currently at NYU Tisch pursuing a MFA in Dramatic Writing. Her work spans many disciplines including screenwriting, TV writing, playmaking and poetry (allegedly). A dancer and designer during her off-time: movement, music and aesthetics are deeply important to Joy. She cannot stop moving and neither can her work!

Malikah Stafford is a writer, spoken word poet, and singer. Currently, she is a MFA candidate in the Dramatic Writing Program at Tisch School of the Arts.

Sam Friess is a comedian/writer/director based in Brooklyn, New York. You might recognize him from the L Train, or maybe in one of the elevators at Tisch. He has yet to perform in much of note, but he sincerely hopes you enjoy the show and have a wonderful day.

Gabrielle Woods is an MFA Candidate in Dramatic Writing at NYU Tisch School of the Arts and a recent graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary. In addition to writing for the stage and screen, she also writes and performs original music. She believes laughter is the best medicine for all that ails us and sees her art as a way to spread joy in tough times.

Poetry Electric 2023–2024 is made possible by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, the Howard Gilman Foundation, The John Golden Fund, and The Shubert Foundation. Additional funding from the Axe-Houghton Foundation is gratefully acknowledged.