Hunter College MFA Program Will Present Reading of I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU by PJ O'Neal
Ryan Jamaal Swain of FX's POSE leads cast alongside Tony nominee Annie McNamara at the Goldberg MFA program.
The Rita and Burton Goldberg MFA Playwriting Program at Hunter College will present an industry reading of I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU... by PJ O'Neal, directed by Kareem Fahmy on Wednesday, May 13th at 3PM featuring star of FX's Pose, Ryan Jamaal Swain.
I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU... is a satirical, deadass romp, about an interracial gay couple's picture perfect relationship being upended when a "beloved" family member decides to get married-on a plantation. Themes of the play include intersectionality, identity, racial politics, and the nuances of what it means to be in an interracial relationship.
In addition to Swain, the cast includes Tony Award Nominee Annie McNamara (SLAVE PLAY), Drama Desk Award Nominee Jude Tibeau (BAD KREYOL), Noah Pyzik (OUR TOWN), Brian Keane, Chantelle Guido, Aubrey Lace Taylor, and Ross Barron.
Playwright: PJ O'Neal (he/him) is a multi-hyphenate artist, playwright, food writer, and educator. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, and a facilitator for The Tank NYC's Lit Council for male playwrights of color. Previous work include a solo musical, Code Red which had its world premier at the Borderlight Theatre Festival in Cleveland. He was the inaugural finalist for the Curtain Rising Award in 2025 for his play Stinger that had an industry reading in April 2025, produced by NewYorkRep and Sea Dog Theater. Other plays include Dante's 2 Train, and I Was Raised By A Television, which was named a finalist for the Black Broadway Men's Jesse L. Kearney Playwriting Initiative. His food writing can be found in publications such as Allrecipes, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, and The Spruce Eats. Learn more at thepjoneal.com
Director: Kareem Fahmy (He/Him) is a NYC-based playwright and director from Sherbrooke, Quebec. His plays AMERICAN FAST (winner of the Woodward/Newman Award), DODI & DIANA, and A DISTINCT SOCIETY have been produced nationwide. Other plays include RIPARIAN STATES, FOUNTAINS OF YOUTH, PAREIDOLIA, THE IN-BETWEEN, and an adaptation of the acclaimed novel THE YACOUBIAN BUILDING. Commissions: Audible, Artists Repertory Theatre, Colt Coeur, Ensemble Studio Theatre/Sloan Foundation, inaugural recipient of The Next Forever Commission from The Civilians and Princeton University. He's received fellowships from Yaddo, MacDowell, Bogliasco Foundation, Sundance Theatre Lab, Hermitage Artists Retreat, Stratford Festival of Canada, The Old Globe, Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Phil Killian Fellow), New York State Council for the Arts, and was named a Rising Leader of Color by Theatre Communications Group. Kareem has an MFA in Theatre Directing from Columbia University.
The Hunter College MFA Playwriting Program is a highly-selective and rigorous two-year program located in the heart of New York City. Hunter MFA students study with award-winning dramatists including David Adjmi, Eboni Booth, Lisa D'Amour, Haruna Lee, and Anne Washburn in a program that offers intensive, hands-on writing workshops and fosters a collaborative, close-knit artistic community. With only five students in each cohort, the program ensures each playwright receives dedicated, personal attention. As part of the CUNY system, the Hunter College MFA Playwriting Program is noted for providing an exceptional and affordable education. Learn more here: https://theatre.hunter.cuny.edu/mfa
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