Dominique Morisseau

Dominique Morisseau (born March 13, 1978) is an

American playwright and actress from Detroit, Dominique Morisseau
Michigan. She has written more than nine plays,[1] Born March 13, 1978
three of which are part of a cycle titled The Detroit Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Project.[2] She received a MacArthur Fellowship (also Occupation Playwright, Actor
known as the 'Genius Grant') in 2018. Education University of Michigan, Ann
Arbor (BFA)
Notable Chambers Playwriting Award
Early life awards NAACP Image Award
Primus Prize for an Emerging
Morisseau was born and grew up in Detroit, Michigan, Woman Playwright
with her mother and father. Her mother's family is The Steinberg Playwright
from Mississippi and her father's family is from Award
Haiti.[3] She attended the University of Michigan in Stavis Playwriting Award
Ann Arbor, where she received her BFA in Acting in Obie Award, 2016
MacArthur Fellowship, 2018
2000.[2]
Windham-Campbell Literature
There she met J. Keys, who is also from Michigan. Prize, 2023

They married in 2013.[4][5] Keys was born in Detroit

but grew up in Southfield, Michigan, a nearby suburb of the city. He works as a music industry promoter,
emcee and hip hop musician.[6]

Career

Acting
Morisseau began her performance career as a live poetry speaker, primarily in her hometown community
of Harmonie Park in Detroit.[2] After graduating from college, she continued acting and worked with
several organizations. At the Lark Play Development Center, she worked as an actor in a workshop
production of The Mountaintop by Katori Hall, developing the role of Camae. In 2013, in a production at
the Actors Theatre of Louisville, she reprised the role of Camae.[3] She continues acting but has said that
she would not act in any of her plays' premieres.[3]

Writing
Morisseau began writing plays in college. She has said that the lack of suitable roles at the University of
Michigan drove her to write plays and create the roles she wanted to perform. She wrote The Blackness
Blues: Time to Change the Tune, A Sister's Story at this time.[3]
After college, in 2012 and 2013, she received a Playwrights of New York (PoNY) fellowship at the Lark
Play Development Center.[3][7] She has also worked as a Teaching Artist with City University of New
York's Creative Arts Team.

Morisseau has said that music plays a huge part in her work and often informs the work that she is
writing. "It's a resource and clue to my work, and music plays a unifier among cultural barriers."[8]

Morisseau was on the list of Top 20 Most Produced Playwrights in America in 2015–16, with 10
productions of her plays nationwide.[3][9]

Morisseau is a story editor for the television series Shameless on Showtime and is also credited as a co-
producer.[10][11]

She wrote the book for the jukebox musical Ain't Too Proud—The Life and Times of the Temptations,
which is directed by Des McAnuff. The musical opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre in March
2019. It played pre-Broadway engagements at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre (2017), the Ahmanson
Theatre in Los Angeles (August to September 2018),[12] and the Kennedy Center (July 2018).

This [13][14] play marked Morisseau's Broadway debut.[15] She received a nomination for a Tony Award
for Best Book of a Musical, the third Black woman to do so.

Work

The Detroit Project

Morisseau has written a three-play cycle, titled The Detroit Project. The three plays (in order) are:[1]

Detroit '67
This play "explores an explosive and decisive moment in a great American city.[3] The play's compelling
characters struggle with racial tension and economic instability."[16] It was developed and workshopped
at The Public Theater in New York. Detroit '67 eventually was featured at the Classical Theatre of Harlem
with the National Black Theatre. It was nominated for eight AUDELCO Theatre Awards and received the
2014 Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama Inspired by American History.[2]

Paradise Blue
Former musician Blue decides to sell his beloved jazz club in order to live out his dreams. He is left with
the moral dilemma of leaving his partner, Pumpkin, and his loyal jazz band behind. Morisseau developed
this play first at Williamstown Theatre Festival, where it eventually had its world premiere in July
2015.[16] Paradise Blue continued its development at the McCarter Theatre, New York Theatre
Workshop, The Public Theater, and the Signature Theatre Company.[17] For this play, Morisseau received
the L. Arnold Weissberger Award[16] in 2012.

Skeleton Crew
The final play in the cycle revolves around a group of auto-plant workers grappling with the likely
possibility of foreclosure and impending unemployment. Skeleton Crew received a developmental
production at the Lark Play Development Center.[1] Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, this play had its
world premiere at the Off-Broadway Linda Gross Theater with the Atlantic Theater Company in May
2016.
Morisseau won the 2016 Obie Award Special Citation for Collaboration, along with director Santiago-
Hudson and the Atlantic Theater Company for Skeleton Crew.[18] The play won the Edgerton Foundation
New Play Award in 2015.[19] Skeleton Crew opened on Broadway in January 2022.[20] It was nominated
for the Tony Award for Best Play.

Works

Year
Play Length Notes
Premiered
Follow me to Nellie's premiered at Premiere Stages, Kean University
Follow Me To Zella Fry Theatre in North New Jersey in July 2011 under the
2011
Nellie's
direction of John Wooten.[21][22]
Detroit '67 was first presented Off Broadway at the Public Theater in
120 association with Classical Theatre of Harlem and the National Black
Detroit '67 2013 Theatre in New York City on March 11, 2013. It was directed by
Minutes
Kwame Kwei-Armah.[23]

90 Sunset Baby premiered at the LAByrinth Theatre Company on

Sunset Baby 2013
Minutes November 6, 2013 under the direction of Kamilah Forbes.[24]
Night Vision was originally commissioned for Facing Our Truth: Ten
Minute Plays On Trayvon, Race And Privilege and produced by The
New Black Fest, Keith Josef Adkins, Artistic Director. The original
10 reading took place at the Martin Segal Theater at CUNY Graduate
Night Vision 2013
Minutes Center, NYC December 5, 2013.[25] An audio version of the play was
released by Playing on Air (http://playingonair.org/new-releases/night
-vision) in spring 2020, featuring April Matthis and Eden Marryshow,
directed by Stori Ayers.

Blood At The 105 Blood at the Root premiered at the Penn State School of Theater in
2014
Root Minutes March 2014 under the direction of Steve Broadnax III.[1][26]
Paradise Blue premiered at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in
120
Paradise Blue 2015 Williamstown, MA in July 2015 under the direction of Ruben
Minutes
Santiago-Hudson.[16][27]

Skeleton Crew premiered at the Atlantic Theatre Company in New

Skeleton 120
2016 York City in January 2016 under the direction of Ruben Santiago-
Crew Minutes
Hudson.[28]
Pipeline premiered at the Lincoln Center Theatre in New York City in
90
Pipeline 2017
Minutes June 2017 under the direction of Lileana Blain-Cruz.[29] Won the
Edgerton Foundation New Play Award in 2016.

People's Light & Theatre will present the premiere of Mud Row in
Mud Row 2019
June 2019 under the direction of Steve H. Broadnax III.[30]
Commissioned by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Penumbra
Confederates 2022 Theater, it premiered in New York at the Signature Theatre
Company.

Jezelle the Gazelle was recorded live for Playing on Air (http://playin
Jazelle the 10
unknown gonair.org) Live Benefit in November 2019 with Mirirai Sithole in the
Gazelle Minutes
title role under the direction of Goldie E. Patrick.
10
Third Grade unknown
Minutes
Awards
Morisseau received a MacArthur Fellowship (also known as the 'Genius Grant') fin 2018, which included
a stipend of $625,000. She is one of 25 fellows in the 2018 Class.[31]

Morisseau was named an Honoree for the Jane Chambers Playwriting Award, which recognizes plays and
performance texts created by women that present a feminist perspective and contain significant
opportunities for female performers.[32]

She is a two-time award winner of the NAACP Image Award, which celebrates the outstanding
achievements and performances of people of color in the arts, as well as those individuals or groups who
promote social justice through their creative endeavors.[33]

Primus Prize by the American Theatre Critics Association (honoree) for Follow Me to Nellie's
in 2012[34]
Stavis Playwriting Award[35]
University of Michigan: Emerging Leader Award[36]
City of Detroit: Spirit of Detroit Award[37]
Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama, 2014, for her play Detroit '67[35][37]
Steinberg Playwright Award, 2015[10]
OBIE Award for "Special Citation: Collaboration" for her and Ruben Santiago-Hudson
(director) for Skeleton Crew at Atlantic Theater Company, 2016[38]
Windham Campbell Literature Prize for drama, 2023.[39]

References
1. "Dominique Morisseau" (http://dominiquemorisseau.com/#Bio). dominiquemorisseau.com.
Retrieved 2016-11-21.
2. "Dominique Morisseau talks Detroit '67, Black theatre and more" (http://spokesman-recorde
r.com/2015/04/08/dominique-morisseau-talks-detroit-67-black-theatre/). MSR News Online.
2015-04-08. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
3. Evans, Suzy (2016-01-04). "Dominique Morisseau Is Telling the Story of Her People" (http://
www.americantheatre.org/2016/01/04/dominique-morisseau-is-telling-the-story-of-her-peopl
e/). American Theatre. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
4. "Must See: Newlyweds' Super Cute Wedding First Dance Medley" (https://web.archive.org/
web/20180621195500/https://www.essence.com/2013/06/13/must-see-newlyweds%E2%8
0%99-super-cute-wedding-first-dance-medley). Essence.com. 2013-06-13. Archived from
the original (https://www.essence.com/2013/06/13/must-see-newlyweds%E2%80%99-super
-cute-wedding-first-dance-medley) on 2018-06-21. Retrieved 2018-06-21.
5. Soloski, Alexis (30 December 2015). "Playwright Dominique Morisseau Can't Forget the
Motor City" (https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/03/theater/playwright-dominique-morisseau-c
ant-forget-the-motor-city.html). New York Times. Retrieved 2018-06-21.
6. "J Keys Bio" (http://www.jkeys.com/). Retrieved May 9, 2018.
7. "Awards & Prizes." American Theatre. July 2012 (vol. 29.6), pp. 18-20. Retrieved via
ProQuest database, 2017-07-12.
 8. Serviss, Naomi. "BWW Interviews: Playwright Dominique Morisseau of DETROIT '67" (http
s://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Interviews-Playwright-Dominique-Morisseau-of-D
ETROIT-67-20130307). BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2018-05-09.
9. Tran, Diep (2015-09-15). "The Top 20 Most-Produced Playwrights of the 2015–16 Season"
(http://www.americantheatre.org/2015/09/15/the-top-20-most-produced-playwrights-of-the-2
015-16-season/). American Theatre. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
10. "Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Dominique Morisseau Win 2015 Steinberg Playwright Awards" (ht
tps://www.americantheatre.org/2015/09/22/branden-jacobs-jenkins-dominique-morisseau-wi
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2018-05-10.
11. "Dominique Morisseau | Samuel French" (https://www.samuelfrench.com/a/100903/dominiq
ue-morisseau). www.samuelfrench.com. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
12. Gans, Andrew. " 'Ain't Too Proud—The Life and Times of the Temptations' Starts Los
Angeles Run" (http://www.playbill.com/article/aint-too-proudthe-life-and-times-of-the-temptati
ons-starts-los-angeles-run#) Playbill, August 21, 2018
13. "Must See: Newlyweds' Super Cute Wedding First Dance Medley" (https://web.archive.org/
web/20180621195500/https://www.essence.com/2013/06/13/must-see-newlyweds%E2%8
0%99-super-cute-wedding-first-dance-medley). Essence.com. 2013-06-13. Archived from
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-cute-wedding-first-dance-medley) on 2018-06-21. Retrieved 2018-06-21.
14. Soloski, Alexis (30 December 2015). "Playwright Dominique Morisseau Can't Forget the
Motor City" (https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/03/theater/playwright-dominique-morisseau-c
ant-forget-the-motor-city.html). New York Times. Retrieved 2018-06-21.
15. McPhee, Ryan. " 'Ain't Too Proud—The Life and Times of the Temptations' Sets Dates for
Spring Broadway Bow" (http://www.playbill.com/article/aint-too-proudthe-life-and-times-of-th
e-temptations-sets-dates-for-spring-broadway-bow#) Playbill, October 2, 2018
16. "Paradise Blue | Williamstown Theatre Festival" (http://wtfestival.org/main-events/paradise-b
lue/). wtfestival.org. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
17. "Signature Theatre" (https://www.signaturetheatre.org/shows-and-events.aspx). Signature
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18. Village Voice Staff, "The Complete List of 2016 Obie Award Honorees" (https://www.villagev
oice.com/2016/05/24/the-complete-list-of-2016-obie-award-honorees/), The Village Voice,
May 24, 2016
19. Group, TCG: Theatre Communications. "TCG: Theatre Communications Group > Edgerton
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332/https://www.tcg.org/EdgertonFoundation/NewPlayAwards/2015Awards.aspx).
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20. "Skeleton Crew" (https://www.manhattantheatreclub.com/shows/2021-22-season/skeleton-c
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21. "Follow Me to Nellie's | North Jersey | reviews, cast and tickets | TheaterMania" (https://ww
w.theatermania.com/shows/new-jersey/follow-me-to-nellies_182817). TheaterMania.
Retrieved 2018-05-09.
22. Sommers, Michael (2011-07-22). "Love and Segregation in 'Follow Me to Nellie's' - Review"
(https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/nyregion/love-and-segregation-in-follow-me-to-nellies-
review.html). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 (https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0362-
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23. "Detroit '67 | Samuel French" (https://www.samuelfrench.com/p/12567/detroit-67).
www.samuelfrench.com. Retrieved 2018-05-09.
24. "Sunset Baby | Samuel French" (https://web.archive.org/web/20171120015620/http://www.s
amuelfrench.com/p/17373/sunset-baby). samuelfrench.com. Archived from the original (http
s://samuelfrench.com/p/17373/sunset-baby) on 2017-11-20. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
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ww.samuelfrench.com/p/60202/blood-at-the-root). samuelfrench.com. Archived from the
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www.samuelfrench.com. Retrieved 2018-05-09.
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elfrench.com/p/62834/pipeline). samuelfrench.com. Archived from the original (https://samu
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30. "People's Light to Premiere New Dominique Morisseau Play" (https://www.americantheatre.
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31. McPhee, Ryan. "Playwright Dominique Morisseau Named MacArthur Foundation 'Genius
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acarthur-foundation-genius-grant-recipient#) Playbill, October 4, 2018
32. "Jane Chambers Playwriting Award - Association for Theatre in Higher Education" (http://ww
w.athe.org/?page=Jane_Chambers). www.athe.org. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
33. "NAACP Image Awards : 48th NAACP Image Awards – LIVE, Saturday Feb 11, 2017" (http
s://web.archive.org/web/20070715074824/http://www.naacpimageawards.net/). NAACP
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35. "Detroit '67 | A play by Dominique Morisseau" (https://kennedyprize.columbia.edu/winners/2
014/morisseau/). kennedyprize.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2018-05-10.
36. "University of Michigan Emerging Leader Award | University of Michigan Detroit Center" (htt
ps://web.archive.org/web/20180616022426/https://detroitcenter.umich.edu/events/university
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the original (https://detroitcenter.umich.edu/events/university-of-michigan-emerging-leader-a
ward/) on 2018-06-16. Retrieved 2018-05-10.
37. "Columbia University Awards the Kennedy Prize for Drama to Dominque Morisseau (https://
www.jbhe.com/2014/02/columbia-university-awards-the-kennedy-prize-for-drama-to-dominq
ue-morisseau/)." Journal of Blacks in Higher Education (Online). jbhe.com. 2014-02-28.
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39. "2023 Prize Recipients" (https://windhamcampbell.org/). Windham Campbell Prizes 2023.
Windham Campbell Prizes. Retrieved April 21, 2023.

External links
Dominique Morisseau (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5012077/) at IMDb
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dominique_Morisseau&oldid=1212401210"