DANA L. STRINGER is a writer, playwright, poet, screenwriter, and writing instructor. Through a Southern lens, Dana's work is primarily concerned with themes of identity — racial, gender, sexual, religious, cultural, and social. She seeks to explore, challenge, and debunk negative stereotypes, myths, and belief systems that reinforce prejudice, bigotry, inequality, and injustice. She is committed to bridging gaps by creating work that fosters empathy, understanding, and healing. She believes that the performing arts, literary arts, and cinematic arts are the most effective platforms for promoting understanding.

Dana holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles and a Bachelors of Arts from Morehead State University. Her body of work has garnered a reputation for tackling some of the most controversial and critical issues, while centering and humanizing characters who have been historically ‘othered’. Her overall mission is to nurture ongoing dialogue while educating, entertaining, and empowering others through the arts.

TEACHING ARTIST & EDUCATOR

Dana has served as an instructional facilitator in the Inspiration to Publication Program at Antioch University Los Angeles. Dana is currently an adjunct faculty member at Antioch University Online and an academic writing consultant in the eLearning industry. Additionally, she is a lead instructor for the Rythmn & Revision workshop, a partnership between Theatrical Outfit and the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta.

Dana is also a workshop facilitator for Hush Harbor Lab's Djali Playwriting Workshop for Black, Atlanta-based playwrights. Currently, she serves as a literacy specialist, online writing instructor, and a high impact ELA tutor for K-12. In the past, she has served at WriteGirl, a nonprofit creative writing and mentorship organization.

Dana is an Artist-in-Residence at Out of Hand Theater. Through Out of Hand, Dana has been commissioned to create work that has been presented for tailored audiences at Audible, BlackRock, South and Appalachian Creative Placemaking Summit, Emory University's Goizueta Business School, The Forum on Workplace Inclusion podcast, Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta, and Urban League of Greater Atlanta Young Professionals. She has also been commissioned by Horizon Theatre, Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre, and Alabama Shakespeare Festival. She is currently an artist in the Emerging Playwrights Collective for the New Georgia Woman Project: Black Women Speak at Horizon Theatre Company. Dana's most recent play, The Line, was selected for development in Working Title Playwright's Ethel Woolson Lab (2024) it received public staged reading at Theatrical Outfit. Her play, We the Village, was selected for Theatrical Outfit’s Made in Atlanta new play development program (2021), the Unexpected Play Festival (2020), and Working Title Playwright’s First Light Series (2018).

Some of her latest short works have been virtually presented by Alabama Shakespeare Festival, The Billie Holiday Theatre, Out of Hand Theater, and Black Theatre Network. A combination of her produced plays, staged readings, and interdisciplinary art have been presented by Theatrical Outfit, Vanguard Repertory Company, Ain’t I a Woman Playfest, Blue Pearl Theatrics, National Black Theatre Festival, Fade to Black Play Festival, MoJo Fest, Coleman & Smith Artistic Company, and NAACP 10-Minute Play Festival. Some of her short play scripts are available at New Play Exchange Network.

Dana is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America and Atlanta-based Working Title Playwrights. She has been a guest playwright and judge for the National Playwriting Program at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for Region 8. She has also participated in playwriting workshops at the Robey Theatre Playwright's Lab in Los Angeles as well as the Page to Stage playwriting workshop with the Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival.

Dana is a Cave Canem fellow. She has been a featured poet at the AJC Decatur Book Festival, the World Stage, Long Beach Job Corp, and additional venues throughout Los Angeles and Atlanta. She is the author of the poetry chapbook, In Between Faith. Her poetry has also appeared in Obsidian: Literature & Arts in the African Disapora, African American Review, Rogue Agent, For Harriet and Blackberry: a magazine. Her poems can also be found in the following anthologies: Boundaries & Borders: A Literary Exploration of Global Voices, Marked By Scorn Anthology, Hot Summer Nights: A Collection of Erotic Poetry & Prose and Beyond Words: The Creative Voices of WriteGirl, an anthology where Dana served as associate editor. In 2019, a series of her poems from Black Body, Blue Note were adapted into a movement and poetry performance as well as a short film by Vanguard Repertory Company. .

In 2017, Solomon's Porch, was a semi-finalist in the Nashville Film Festival's Screenwriting Competition. In 2014, Solomon's Porch was selected to be read in the SAG- AFTRA Atlanta Indie Screenwriter Showcase at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts and Community Center. In 2013, Dana's short screenplay, ID, adapted from her play with the same title, was selected to be used as part of the curriculum in the Stage and Screenwriting course at Long Beach City College.

She is currently writing and developing two TV Pilots.

Articles

The Hidden Dangers of Being a "Strong" Black Woman

Fantasia Performs at 30th Annual Long Beach Pride

Prince Shakes California

Timothy Bloom Buds at L.A.'s Nokia Theater

Click to view Artist Statement

Artist Statement