J. NICOLE BROOKS

J. Nicole Brooks (she/her/hers or they/them/their) 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 Collaboration 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 and 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. 

Bio as of 2021