Manna-Symone (she/her) is a Chicago-based director, producer, and artistic leader specializing in new plays and reimagined classics. Her work is centered around emergence, identity, love, & healing.
Currently, she is an MFA Directing Candidate at Northwestern University. There she also serves as the Artistic Producer of the Black Graduate Artist Group and MFA Writing for Screen & Stage Reading series.
Upcoming:
Associate Director: Jaja's African Hair Braiding by Jocelyn Bioh at Arena Stage, Berkley Rep, and Chicago Shakespeare.
Recent credits include The Tempest by William Shakespeare, sandblasted by Charly Evon Simpson, Big Love by Charles Mee, Precious Little by Madeline George, Letters from London by Salwa Meghjee, The Revenger's Tragedy by Thomas Middleton, and The Death
of the Last Black Man in the World Entire World by Suzan-Lori Parks (Northwestern University); Self Portrait with Dirty Hair by Jordan Ealy (Keegan Theatre), A Nightingale's Pet Icarus by Andrew Reid (Rorschach Theatre, Klexography); Saturn's Return by Clayton Pelham Jr and The Client by Justin Weaks (PostShift Theatre Co.).
Manna-Symone's Broadway assisting credits include Jaja's African Hair Braiding (Manhattan Theatre Club, dir. Whitney White). Her regional associate and assisting credits include The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington (Steppenwolf, dir. Whitney White); The Amen Corner (Shakespeare Theatre Co, dir. Whitney White); All's Well That Ends Well (Chicago Shakespeare, dir. Shana Cooper); Henry IV, Part I (The Folger Theatre, dir. Rosa Joshi); Amadeus (Folger Theatre, dir. Richard Clifford); Indecent (Arena Stage, dir, Eric Rosen); Turn Me Loose (Arena Stage, dir, Jon Gould Rubin); Skeleton Crew (Studio Theatre, dir. Patricia McGregor); The Wolves (Studio Theatre, dir. Marti Lyons); Translations (Studio Theatre, dir. Matt Torney); The Curve of Departure (Studio Theatre, dir. Mike Donahue); The Remains (Studio Theatre, dir. David Muse); Broken Glass (Theatre J, dir. Aaron Posner).
She holds a BA in Theatre Arts from American University and is an alumna of The British American Drama Academy.
