Mélanie Werder Avilés at the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa

Spanish playwright Mélanie Werder Avilés participates in the IWP Fall Residency 2024, collaborating with the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain in Washington, DC.

Thanks to the collaboration between the International Writing Program and the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain in Washington D.C., Spanish playwright Mélanie Werder-Avilés has joined the IWP Fall Residency in 2024.

About the playwright

Mélanie Werder Avilés is a Spanish playwright, theatre-maker, and scholar known for her compelling works, including Buena suerte, chica, Sharenting, Nutella Days, and Tiradísimo de Precio (Dirt-cheap). She garnered critical acclaim with her award-winning play La Protagonista, which earned her the prestigious Lope de Vega award.

As a resident playwright at the Spanish National Drama Centre, Werder Avilés has also participated in the International Summer Workshop at Sala Beckett. Her talent has been recognized with the Carlota Soldevila Fellowship from Teatre Lliure in Barcelona, and she is actively involved in the SGAE Playwriting Laboratory and the ETC of Contemporary Creation at Sala Cuarta Pared in Madrid, among other affiliations. Currently, she is pursuing research on documentary theatre practices as a predoctoral fellow at Complutense University of Madrid, where she has directed several pedagogical projects, including Documentary Theatre to Improve University Life (2021), Documentary Theatre against Inequality (2022), and Theatrical Audioguide for Equality (2023).

Recently, Mélanie Werder Avilés served as the dramaturg for La Gaviota (The Seagull), directed by Chela de Ferrari, which is set to premiere at the Avignon Festival in France before moving to Madrid’s Centro Dramático Nacional in 2024. Her work continues to contribute significantly to contemporary theatre, supported by the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C. ,and funding from the International Writing Program (IWP).

About the Residency

The Residency at the University of Iowa is designed for established and emerging writers, including poets, fiction writers, dramatists, and nonfiction writers. Eligibility requires participants to have published at least one book and to possess sufficient proficiency in English to benefit from the program.

The Residency provides writers with dedicated time in a conducive setting for the production of literary work. It also facilitates exposure to the social and cultural contexts of the United States, allowing participants to engage with American university life and contribute to literature courses at the University of Iowa and across the country.

Participants in the Fall Residency do not enroll in classes at the University of Iowa, and no degree is awarded for participation. The program offers a variety of optional literary activities for the public. Writers are encouraged to utilize their time as they see fit, whether for writing or conducting research.

Activities

Global Express: An Evening of Theatre & Writing

• On Wednesday, October 9 at 7:30 pm. Free, no RSVP required.
• At Theatre Building, Alan MacVey Theatre, 200 North Riverside Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242.

In this annual collaboration, writers from the International Writing Program’s 2024 Fall Residency provide short works in various forms, all of which were then adapted for the stage.

IWP Panel Discussion Series: Balancing Life as an Artist

• On Friday, October 18 at 12 pm. Free, RSVP.
• At Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Room A, 123 South Linn Street, Iowa City, IA 52240.

A conversation among four writers from the IWP 2024 Fall Residency will explore the theme “Balancing Life as an Artist,” followed by a Q&A session. This event is supported by the University of Iowa International Programs and the Stanley-UI Foundation Support Organization.

2024 Sambaugh House Reading Series

• On Tuesday, October 22 at 6 pm. Free, RSVP.
• At 430 N Clinton St, Iowa City, IA, United States, Iowa 52242.

Three Fall Residency writers, Mélanie Werder-Avilés, Han Jonghyun and Zakariya Amataya, will read from their work in the historic Shambaugh House.

Images of America – Open Mic

• On Friday, November 1.
• Check back soon for more information.