The Pivot Point: A Roundtable on Mentorship

Mar 01, 2024

L-R: Cori Thomas, Aurin Squire, Madhuri Shekar, christopher oscar peña

Chisa Hutchinson: Thank you, generous people, for joining today’s discussion on mentorship. I have so many questions, but I’m just gonna let it flow. We’re just gonna see where the spirit takes us.

I’ll preface this by saying that I know that each of you are badass mentors. I know how generous you are with your time and your advocacy and your activism. I wouldn’t have asked you to be part of this discussion if I didn’t think y’all were killing it as mentors.

But I have to ask if you feel like a mentor. Do you feel like a mentor right now?

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Chisa Hutchinson

has written a bunch of plays, most recently a radio drama called Redeemed that you can listen to on Apple Podcasts (hint-hint). She’s won a bunch of awards and all that’s cool and good, but mostly she just wants to figure out how to cure racism with words. www.chisahutchinson.com

christopher oscar peña

is a playwright, screenwriter, actor, and educator who resides in New York City. He has been commissioned by Yale Repertory Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Miami New Drama, and Center Theatre Group, among others. He is a three-time Sundance Theatre Lab fellow, a Van Lier fellow at the Lark, an alumnus of New Dramatists, and a New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspect.

Madhuri Shekar

(she/her) is a recipient of the Lanford Wilson Playwriting Award and the Steinberg Playwriting Award. Her plays include Dhaba on Devon Avenue, House of Joy, Queen, A Nice Indian Boy, Evil Eye, and In Love and Warcraft. Madhuri is a resident at New Dramatists and an alumna of Juilliard and USC.

Aurin Squire

is a writer based in Brooklyn. Born and raised in Opa-locka, Florida, Squire started off as a journalist for local newspapers and magazines. He continues to work as an indie reporter while writing movies, plays, and TV shows.

Cori Thomas

is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter whose plays include Lockdown; When January Feels Like Summer; Citizens Market; and My Secret Language Of Wishes. Honors include American Theater Critics Osborn Award, Edgerton Foundation Prize, among others. Cori is the Andrew Mellon Playwright in Residence at WP Theater, is a New Dramatists Resident Playwright, and serves on the Dramatists Guild Council.