Nightwood is delighted to share the exciting new cohort of playwrights that we will be welcoming to our Write From The Hip program this upcoming season! Please join us in congratulating Omolola Ajao, Stephanie Fung, Juliet Jones-Rodney, Merlin Simard and Jillian Welsh

Supported by RBC's Emerging Artist Project, Write From The Hip is a year-long script development program designed to support new writers through mentorship, one-on-one dramaturgy, workshops and readings at our annual Groundswell Festival, all working towards the completion of a full length play. 

WFTH is led by Program Director Donna-Michelle St. Bernard and we are happy to announce that the 2021/22 Program Associate will be theatre artist and 2018/19 Nightwood Young Innovator alumni Max Cameron Fearon.

THE 2021/22 WRITE FROM THE HIP PLAYWRIGHTS

Omolola Ajao is a Nigerian-Canadian playwright and filmmaker. Existing in the realm of Black realism and magical Black realism, her priority in filmmaking and playwrighting is to create Black interiority and complex emotionality, carefully presenting the specific lives of people she knows and creates.

Stephanie Fung (they/she) is an interdisciplinary artist and arts worker who falls somewhere  between their family’s first and second generations on this land, and flat on the understanding  that this land was not meant for her.

Juliet Jones-Rodney is a Black playwright, singer, songwriter, poet, actor, and social activist born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. 

Merlin Simard (she/they/iel/elle) is a performer, playwright, dramaturge, and filmmaker originally from Tiohtiá:ke (Montréal) now based in Tkarón:to (Toronto). 

Jillian Welsh (She/Her/Hers) grew up in Southwestern Ontario before moving to NYC at the peak of the “hipster” moment only to land in Toronto.

WRITE FROM THE HIP PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND PROGRAM ASSOCIATE

WFTH PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Donna-Michelle St. Bernard (aka Belladonna the Beast) is an emcee, playwright, dramaturge and agitator.

WFTH PROGRAM ASSOCIATE

Max Cameron Fearon (they/them) is a queer, non-binary, Mad, and multiply-disabled artist, facilitator, and administrator.