MEC Assistant English Professor Makes Mark

Darrel Holnes receives multiple honors

Darrel Holnes, who is an assistant professor and coordinator of creative writing at Medgar Evers College, has been the recent recipient of a number of accolades. He is one of 10 dramatists who was recently awarded a Dramatists Guild Foundation Catalyst Fellowship. Fellows receive a financial award of $30,000 each year over a two-year period totaling $60,000 for each fellow. According to the Guild, this financial support is meant to encourage each fellow to continue addressing key issues around disrupting marginalization, inequity and disenfranchisement—and boldly create and pilot courageous ideas that transform theater.

Holnes’ plays have received productions or readings at the Kennedy Center for the Arts American College Theater Festival (KCACTF), The Brick Theater, Kitchen Theatre Company, Pregones Theater/PRTT, Primary Stages, and elsewhere. He is a member of the Lincoln Center Director’s Lab, Civilians R&D Group, Page 73’s Interstate 73 Writers Workshop, and other groups. His play, Starry Night, was a finalist for the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Playwrights Conference and the Princess Grace Award in Playwriting. His play Bayano was also a finalist for the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Conference. His most recent play, Black Feminist Video Game, was produced by The Civilians for 59E59, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Center Theatre Group, and other theaters and venues and won an inaugural Anthem Award.

The Afro-Panamanian-American writer, performer, and educator also saw his film Marimacha win a number of honors including Best Performance at this year’s Latino Feedback Film Festival, Best of the Fest at Pride Film Fest, Best LGBT Short from the L.A. Independent Women Film Awards and Festival Favorite and Director’s Choice Award from Cinema Diverse: The Palm Spring LGBTQ Film Festival. Holnes also capped off the year by seeing his book Stepmotherland win the International Latino Book Award’s Juan Felipe Best Poetry Book Award. For all he’s achieved, Holnes is humble in giving the nod to the foundation his art education created for him. These are the same kind of tools he hopes to pass on to those he teaches.

“I am only able to achieve these professional milestones because of the arts educators who were part of my life when I was a student artist,” Holnes said. “I hope to bring more arts education opportunities like the ones I received to more CUNY students so that more students across New York City can gain access to the arts and similarly learn the necessary skills to achieve their goals in the arts and beyond.”