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Dr. 'Niyi Coker Jr., Professor-Director-Episode #294
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Dr. ‘Niyi Coker, Jr., is a Professor and the Director of the School of Theatre, Television, and Film (TTF) at San Diego State University in California, which is ranked by the Hollywood Reporter as a top 10 Film production program.
‘Niyi has served as Visiting Artistic Director to several theatre companies including: K3 at Malmo Hogskola in Sweden, the National Theatre of Nigeria and The Black Box Theatre in Bermuda. He’s also the founding Artistic Director of the African Arts Ensemble in New York City.
‘Niyi’s plays include: Ouray, written in collaboration with the Southern Ute Tribal Council. Commissioned and sponsored by the British Council, it toured England. And also Preemptive, a drama about Islamophobia, initially developed at the Indiana University Playwrights lab and staged at London’s West End Shaw Theatre.
‘Niyi’s Off-Broadway writing and directing credits, include, Booth! a musical on the reflections of Edwin Booth after the assassination of Lincoln (written in collaboration with Barbara Harbach & Jonathan Yordy); Miriam Makeba-Mama Africa–the musical,” about the struggles of the anti-apartheid singer and civil rights advocate.
‘Niyi’s also made features and documentary films, including Black Studies USA, and Pennies for the Boatman. His most recent documentary Ota Benga – Human at the Zoo, is the true story of an African kidnapped from the continent and put on display at the Bronx Zoo.
‘Niyi is the Founding Director of the Africa World Documentary Film Festival which is in its 14th season. The festival screens in numerous countries worldwide.
He’s the author of 2 books, The Music and Social Criticism of African Musician Fela Kuti, and Ola Rotimi's African Theatre: The Development of an Indigenous Aesthetic. Further, ‘Niyi has contributed numerous chapters and articles to books, journals and magazines.
'Niyi’s a full member of the Society for Stage Directors and Choreographers, and he's also a recipient of the Kennedy Center Merit Award in Directing.
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