Oni Faida Lampley (1959-2008)’s plays were produced in New York and regionally.  Her first play, Mixed Babies, (published by Dramatists Play Service) won a Helen Hayes award for Outstanding New Play for its Washington D.C. production. It was subsequently produced in New York City by Manhattan Class Company. Her second play, The Dark Kalamazoo, earned her another Helen Hayes nomination, premiered in New York at the Drama Department and was published in The Fire This Time, by TCG, along with plays by Pulitzer Prize winners August Wilson and Suzan Lori Parks. Her play, Tough Titty, about a family surviving the rigors of marriage and chronic illness received an extended workshop production at Williamstown Theatre Festival under the direction of Charles Randolph Wright.  The play was commissioned by South Coast Repertory and made Lampley a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Award and a recipient of a 2006 Helen Merrill Emerging Playwright Award.  Her play Sons was commissioned by Children’s Theater Company in Minneapolis.  As a member of Juilliard's Playwrighting Program, Oni received the Lincoln Center LeComte du Nouy Award.  Other grants and commissions include The Booomarang Fund for Artists Inc., the Smithsonian Institute, the William and Eva Fox Foundation grant, the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and a NYSCA grant via Brooklyn Information and Culture (BRIC) which was a frequent supporter of her work. She was a member of New Dramatists, The Actors Center and a Playwright-In-Residence with Mud/Bone Theatre Company. In 2007 she participated in a three-week playwrighting residency at the National Theatre in London.  As a “working New York actor” Oni appeared in several films including Stay, Moneytrain, Jungle to Jungle and John Sayles’ Lonestar.  On television she appeared in all the Law and Orders, Third Watch, The Sopranos, As the World Turns, NYPD Blue, and Oz. She was seen on Broadway in The Ride Down Mount Morgan, Two Trains Running, and Mule Bone. She was seen off-Broadway in Mud, River, Stone, Zooman and the Sign, The Destiny of Me and Boesman and Lena among others. Regionally she worked at Hartford Stage, Long Wharf Theatre, Woolly Mammoth, Old Globe, Center Stage and The Acting Company. Oni is survived by her husband Tommy Abney and sons Olu and Ade.

Robert O’Hara received an OBIE Award for his direction of In the Continuum at Primary Stage/Perry Street Theater. He wrote and directed the world premiere of Insurrection: Holding History at the New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theater.  Insurrection received the Oppenheimer Award for Best New American Play and was subsequently published by both Theater Communications Group and an Acting Edition by Dramatist Play Service. Mr. O’Hara has directed at New York Shakespeare Festival, Primary Stages, Yale Rep, Wooly Mammoth, Kirk Douglas Theater (CTG), American Conservatory Theater, Magic Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Edinburgh Fringe Fest, The Market Theater in Johannesburg, The Baxter Theatre in Cape Town, The Culture Project, The Flea, Athenaeum Theater, Philadelphia Theatre Company, The Goodman Theatre and The Perry Street Theatre. He has been an Artist in Residence at American Conservatory Theater, New York Shakespeare Festival, and Theater/Emory as well as a Visiting Professor at DePaul University School of the Arts. His most recent directing credits include Marcus Gardley’s And Jesus Moonwalks the Mississippi (Sundance/Public Theater Workshop), Tarell McCraney’s Trilogy Brother/Sister Plays (the McCarter Theater/Public Theater Workshop), world premieres of Chad Beckim’s Light Rise on Grace (Fringe Award Best New Play and Best of Fest) and The Maine Play.  His new play Antebellum will have its World Premiere at Woolly Mammoth Theater next season.  His play Good Breeding will be produced by American Conservatory Theater next Season.  His plays have been produced around the world and he has been awarded a Rockefeller Fellowship, TCG Extended Collaboration Grant, NEA/TCG Fellowship, a Van Lier Fellowship at New Dramatists, Mark Taper Forum's Sherwood Award, and the TANNE Award for Exceptional Body of Work. He is currently under commission from LaJolla Playhouse and has been commissioned previously by Mark Taper Forum, National Endowment of the Arts, McCarter Theater, Theatres de Nimes, Le Theatre L’Odeon, Theatreworks/USA and Theater/Emory. He recently completed work on the revival of The Wiz directed by Des McAnuff. He has written for Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, Avnet/Kerner, HBO, ABC, Universal Pictures, Sony Pictures, New Line/Fine Line Cinema and Artisan Entertainment.  He is currently a member of the 2008 Obie Jury. www.robertaohara.com