Dael Orlandersmith - Episode 07.01 SLC Performance Lab

Dael Orlandersmith - Episode 07.01 SLC Performance Lab

From SLC Performance Lab by Sarah Lawrence College Theatre MFA Program

February 2, 2026 · 40 min

About this episode

Dael Orlandersmith, an acclaimed playwright, discusses her work and experiences in the theatre industry.

ContemporaryPerformance.com and the Sarah Lawrence College MFA Theatre Program produce the SLC Performance Lab. During the year, visiting artists to the MFA Theatre Program's Performance Lab are interviewed after leading a workshop with the students. Performance Lab is one of the program's core components, where graduate students work with guest artists and develop performance experiments. Dael Orlandersmith is interviewed by Khari Walser (SLC'27) and produced by Sheridan Merrick (SLC'26). Edited by Amelia Munson (SLC'26) Dael Orlandersmith is an acclaimed playwright known for works such as Stoop Stories, Yellowman and Until the Flood. She was a Pulitzer Prize finalist and Drama Desk Award nominee, and won the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for The Gimmick. Her honors include a New York Foundation for the Arts grant, the Helen Merrill Award for Emerging Playwrights, Doris Duke grant and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Orlandersmith’s play Forever premiered at the Mark Taper Forum and was subsequently performed at venues including Long Wharf, New York Theatre Workshop and Portland Center Stage. Until the Flood debuted at St. Louis Repertory and has since been staged at numerous theaters…

People in this episode

Guest: Dael Orlandersmith

Topics covered

  • theatre
  • playwriting
  • performance

Keywords

  • Pulitzer Prize
  • Drama Desk Award
  • Susan Smith Blackburn Prize

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Stoop Stories, Yellowman, Until the Flood, Pulitzer Prize, Drama Desk Award, the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, The Gimmick, the Helen Merrill Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, Forever

Places: London, West Virginia, Lowell, Massachusetts, New York City

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