Jelisa Jay Robinson is a Black American playwright from the mighty city of Houston, Texas. Her plays include The Stories of Us, Fae and Paciencia and Delivery. Her work has been developed and/or presented at Fade to Black (Houston), Teatrx (Houston), 14/48: The World's Quickest Theatre Festival (Austin), Austin One Minute Play Festival (Austin), the Austin Latino New Play Festival, Teatro Vivo (Austin), Now Africa Festival (New York), The Black and Brown Theatre (Detroit), The Rec Room (Houston), Fornes Playwriting Workshop (Chicago) and Vision Latino (Chicago).
Jelisa is currently a writer in the Rec Room Writer's program where she is working on an Afro-diasporic drama called We Both Suck Our Teeth. Jelisa has been commissioned by Echame Un Ojo Latinx Arts festival (2016) in Austin to write Fae and Paciencia and was one of 14 playwrights nationwide chosen to participate in the inaugural Maria Irene Fornes Playwriting Workshop under the tutelage of Playwright Migdalia Cruz. She was also one of five playwrights nationally selected as a finalist for the inaugural Seattle Public Theatre Emerald New Play Prize in 2017. Jelisa has held residencies with Vision Latino Theatre Company (Chicago) and the National Playwrights Retreat (Colorado).
Jelisa has hosted writing workshops at Texas State University, University of Texas - RGV and other spaces in the Texas area. She was a two-time alternate for the national Fulbright Fellowship. She is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild and ScriptWorks.
Select plays can be read on National Play Exchange.
Jelisa is currently a writer in the Rec Room Writer's program where she is working on an Afro-diasporic drama called We Both Suck Our Teeth. Jelisa has been commissioned by Echame Un Ojo Latinx Arts festival (2016) in Austin to write Fae and Paciencia and was one of 14 playwrights nationwide chosen to participate in the inaugural Maria Irene Fornes Playwriting Workshop under the tutelage of Playwright Migdalia Cruz. She was also one of five playwrights nationally selected as a finalist for the inaugural Seattle Public Theatre Emerald New Play Prize in 2017. Jelisa has held residencies with Vision Latino Theatre Company (Chicago) and the National Playwrights Retreat (Colorado).
Jelisa has hosted writing workshops at Texas State University, University of Texas - RGV and other spaces in the Texas area. She was a two-time alternate for the national Fulbright Fellowship. She is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild and ScriptWorks.
Select plays can be read on National Play Exchange.