jessica charles writes
Jessica Charles
Playwright | Storyteller | Creative
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Meet Jessica
Jessica Charles is a black queer woman identifying playwright whose work holds and uplifts historically underrepresented voices. Her passion is bringing to life nuanced stories of her community. As a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and the University of California, Berkeley, Jessica’s work has been workshopped, heard, and seen in spaces and stages across the world. Most recently, her play Antiquated F*ckery had its off-Broadway debut at 59E59 Theaters. She is a current SPACE on Ryder Farm 2024 creative resident. She was a member of Liberation Theater Company’s New Voices Writing Residency and a finalist for The Lark’s Van Lier New Voices Fellowship. Her plays include In the tradition, High, The Road Trip, Inflatables, "the genuine minstrel show!", Antiquated F*ckery, [THE BLACK WOMAN] and The Myth, White Savior, and We are all Psychopaths.
CURRENT:
SPACE on Ryder Farm, Writing Residency
PAST:
Antiquated F*ckery by Jessica Charles
59E59 Theaters – Oct 8 - 28, 2023
Part of 59E59's Makers Program
I write because I have to. I write because my story is important. The people who look like me, feel like me, push through this world like me are important. Nuanced people, colorful people, sad people, joyful people, people just trying to survive – our stories are important.
I write to capture the complexity in the mundane. I write to archive. I write to listen. I write to connect. I won’t stop writing until our voices are centered on the biggest stages in the world.
I don’t just write to see black and/or queer people on stage. I write to tell the nuances and intricacies of our lived experiences. I write because as a black, queer woman, I fear if I don’t tell you my story is important and equal and resonant, it will only be a whisper to you.
And I write because I WANT TO F*CKING SHOUT!