
Ensemble Member
Playwright in Residence
J. Nicole Brooks (she/her/hers or they/them/theirs) is an actor, author, director, educator, gremlin, star gazer, and social justice warrior based in Chicago. Brooks’ writing practice includes playwriting, screenwriting, essays, and poetry. As a theatre artist Brooks is an ensemble member and Mellon Foundation Playwright in Residence at the Tony Award winning Lookingglass Theatre Company. Other artistic affiliations include artistic membership at Collaboraction and Sideshow Theatre Company. As a playwright Brooks has created original works including Black Diamond: The Years the Locusts Have Eaten, Fedra Queen of Haiti, HeLa, Black Moon Lilith and the award winning Her Honor Jane Byrne. Upcoming writing projects and commissions include an adaptation of Eve L. Ewing’s book of poetry 1919 for Steppenwolf Theatre, Rainbow Beach for Chicago Childrens Choir, a Sloan commission for Manhattan Theatre Club, along side various audio and screenplays in development. Brooks has also served as director and associate director mounting successful theatre productions of Mr. Rickey Calls A Meeting, Thaddeus & Slocum: A Vaudeville Adventure, Her Honor Jane Byrne, Sex With Strangers and Black Diamond: The Years the Locusts Have Eaten. Honors include TCG Fox Foundation, 3Arts, Mellon Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Kilroy List, the American 2021 Steinberg/ American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award for Her Honor Jane Byrne, and the Chicago Public Library Foundation 21st Century Award. Brooks is also an award winning actor appearing in theatrical productions at Goodman Theatre, Lookingglass, Court Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, and Theatre at Boston Court. Recent television credits include guest recurring roles on the cult fav South Side (Comedy Central, HBO Max), The Chi (Showtime), Chicago Fire (NBC, Hulu) and the critically acclaimed chapter four of Fargo (FX Network) starring opposite Chris Rock. Brooks also appeared in the box office hit CANDYMAN (Say My Name) directed by Nia DaCosta produced by Jordan Peele. @doctaslick on the socials.
ARTIST MEDIA
LOOKINGGLASS PRODUCTIONS
EDUCATION
BFA and Minor in Dance Education, School of Theatre and Dance, Northern Illinois University
CREDITS AND AWARDS
THEATRE CREDITS
Chicago:
- Immediate Family (Goodman Theatre)
- Mary Stuart (Court Theatre)
Regional:
- Immediate Family (Mark Taper Forum, Center Theatre Group)
FILM CREDITS
- Watch the Sky
- Death & Taxes
- Infinity
- Fly Like Mercury
- The Weather Man
- Barbershop 2: Back in Business
TELEVISION CREDITS
- The Chi (Showtime)
- Chicago Fire (NBC)
- Squad 85
- Consequences
- The Protector
- Eve
AWARDS
- Theatre Communication Group Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowship for Extraordinary Potential
- National Endowment for the Arts grant for development of The Incredible Adventures of Yuri Kochiyama (2013)
- Jeff Award Nomination for Director – Play for Rickey Calls a Meeting (Lookingglass Theatre Company, 2012)
- Black Theater Alliance Award for Best Leading Actress In A Play (Drama or Comedy) for Fedra: Queen of Haiti (Lookingglass Theatre Company, 2010)
- LA Ovation Award for Featured Actress in a Play for As Much As You Can (Hendel Productions West, 2008)
- Jeff Award Nomination for New Work for Black Diamond: The Years the Locusts Have Eaten (Lookingglass, 2007)