NYTW SPOTLIGHT: NANA DAKIN

Whether you know Nana Dakin as the assistant director on Mary Jane, a 2050 Directing Fellow, one of the NYTW Teaching Artists, or as just her brilliant self, you know we love her at NYTW! Read more about Nana in our latest NYTW Spotlight!

How did you first get involved with NYTW?  
I first came on as the Assistant Director for Mary Jane in 2017 and then in 2018-19 I was a 2050 Directing Fellow and did an Adelphi development residency. Now, as the Teaching Artist for the Youth Artistic Instigators, I’m teaching high school students how to devise original work online about the social justice issues they care about.

Most memorable show you’ve worked on at NYTW?   
During my 2050 Directing Fellowship I tested an idea for a performance project called Juliet Gallops Apace. Having the time and space to transform something from “just a thought” to a living, breathing first draft, and feeling free to just focus on the artistic experiment of it, was really gratifying.

What is your first memory of going to the theatre?  
I fell in love with theatre through being in school plays. As a mixed-race person and as someone who grew up moving around, I often felt like an outsider. Being in plays gave me a sense of belonging and community.

Who inspires you?   
I’ve been really inspired by the work of adrienne maree brown who is a writer, social justice facilitator, pleasure activist, healer and doula.

Without live theatre during the pandemic, what have you been watching, listening to, reading?
I’ve been reading a lot to ground myself, to ‘wake up’ and to find inspiration on how we can move forward. For guidance and good medicine on all those fronts I highly recommend “Emergent Strategy” and “Pleasure Activism” by adrienne maree brown, Octavia E. Butler’s “Parable of the Sower” and “Parable of the Talents,” the podcast “Octavia’s Parables” by adrienne maree brown and Toshi Reagon, and Prentis Hemphill’s podcast “Finding Our Way.”

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Categories: NYTW Spotlight. Tags: NYTW Staff.