Lauren Whitehead – Dramaturg
SHE/Her/Hers
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LAUREN WHITEHEAD is a writer, performer and MFA recipient in Dramaturgy (Columbia University). She writes in several forms including poetry, nonfiction, adaptations and drama. Her writings have been published in Apogee Journal, Winter Tangerine, HEArt Online Journal and in selected anthologies including Break Beat Poets, Vol. 2: Black Girl Magic. Most recently, Lauren adapted Ta-Nehisi Coates’ award winning memoir, “Between the World and Me,” for staging at the Apollo Theater and the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts (Dir. Kamilah Forbes).
Lauren has performed her work in venues around the country including The Sundance Film Festival, The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts and The Nuyorican Poets Café. Last fall, Lauren originated the leading role of “Un/Sung” in the opera “We Shall Not Be Moved” which she has performed at the Wilma Theater, the Apollo Theater and at the Stadsschouwburg Theater in Amsterdam (Dir. Bill T. Jones). Prior to that, she adapted and performed the role of “Zillah” in A Bright Room Called Day (Connelly Theater). Lauren has also written and performed two one-woman shows; “Written in Blues” which was presented in the Afro Solo Festival, The Left Coast Leaning Festival at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and at DiverseWorks in Houston, Tx. and “A Tribe Called Blessed,” which debuted at the Women Center Stage Festival (Lynn Redgrave Theater). Lauren is a Sundance Theater Lab Fellow and she has worked as a dramaturg at Hedgebrook and at The Denver Center for Performing Arts. In addition to maintaining a long list of freelance dramaturgy clients, her work as a writing coach was featured in two documentaries, “Russell Simmons Presents: Brave New Voices” (HBO) and “Don’t Be Nice” (2018). Lauren teaches dramaturgy and playwriting at The New School in New York. |
