Nichole Palmer

Playwright

Nichole Palmer — trained journalist, dramatic writer, and published author — has more than 25 years of experience writing for multicultural, mainstream and faith-based audiences. After graduating with her Bachelor of Science journalism degree from Northwestern University, she worked as a copy editor on a news desk in Northwest Indiana and wrote a monthly column. 

However, something was missing. As a junior at NU, Nichole dreamed that she’d live in New York writing plays and screenplays. So, she applied to New York University Tisch School of the Arts — twice, and was admitted into the Dramatic Writing Program on the second try!  

Since graduating with her Master of Fine Arts degree, this Gary, Ind. native has edited and ghostwritten books for years before penning her own, Standing in the Gap: Power of the Prayer Line, co-written with Janice Moss-Woods and Velma Hawkins. The book was published in 2015 through West Bow Press, a division of Thomas Nelson and Zondervan. 

As a playwright and poet, Nichole’s spoken word piece I Will Breathe has been featured at The Bridge PHL Theatre Festival in October 2020 and in the Lift Every Voice Black Women Speak Monologue Festival through Fantasy Theatre Factory and Sandrell Rivers Threater in February 2021 along with her latest monologue Step To Me. Her newest play Corona Connection appeared in the One Minute Play Festival with the Kitchen Theatre Company in Ithaca, NY. Other of her plays have appeared in Los Angeles at the Tamarind Theatre, the Gascon Centre Theatre, and the Hudson Theatre. She previously co-wrote the N.A.A.C.P.-award winning one-woman show Turning Pointsfor actor Cleo King (MAGNOLIA) and actor/director/producer Bill Duke (PREDATOR, DEACONS FOR DEFENSE). 

Recently, the Davidson Community Players in North Carolina commissioned Nichole to write a new play about the African American experience in Davidson. Concentrating on every aspect of daily life as well as historical moments, the piece explores the lives of an often ignored community who grew alongside their Caucasian neighbors just on the other side of the railroad tracks. Using real-life memories, this new play endeavors to give voice to their stories with raw honesty, humor, and love.

In addition, Palmer is also one of the Creative Board Members of the Warehouse Performance Arts Center where she’s also a Playwright in Residence under the direction of its Artistic Director Marla Brown.