The Englert Theatre has named Jenny Singer as the recipient of their fifth annual Nonfiction Writing Fellowship.
Jenny Singer is a first-year MFA candidate in University of Iowa’s Nonfiction Writing Program. She was previously a staff writer at Glamour and The Forward. Her essays have been published in San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Weekly, Time Out New York, and The Independent. Her work considers popular culture, internet culture, the wellness movement, and live theater. Singer grew up in Seattle, lived in New York City for nearly a decade, and spent the last few years in San Francisco before relocating to Iowa.
“As a critic and essayist, I write about anxiety and trauma, pop culture, and the quiet ways people and art can save each other,” said Singer. “I’m so thrilled that The Englert has chosen to work with nonfiction writers at Iowa—we are natural allies in the project of community engagement in art. I hope to use my time with The Englert to write about how audiences interact with live performances—the alchemical conversion of words and movement on stage into laughter, tears, and other ecstatic responses.”
The fellowship, now in its fifth year, was created in partnership with the University of Iowa to support the educational and professional development of one student in the Nonfiction Writing Program each year by providing close access to The Englert’s variety of arts programming. Singer will receive complimentary tickets to all Englert Presents events, and at the conclusion of the fellowship, Singer’s work will be featured in a free public reading at The Englert Theatre.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Jenny as our 2023 Nonfiction Fellow. Her writing examines art through a patron’s perspective in an exiting way and I think our audience will really love engaging with her throughout the semester. ” said John Schickedanz, Executive Director of The Englert Theatre.
Details for Singer’s public reading will be announced this coming spring.
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Programs like the Nonfiction Writing Fellowship are made possible through the generous support of the Friends of the Englert. More information about the membership program is available at englert.org/friends.
