Uchenna Agbu is a director and writer from Willingboro, NJ. Her work strives to uncover universal truths about the human experience and examine life’s meaning to better understand ourselves, our purpose, and one another. Professional credits include Still at Premiere Stages and Thornton Wilder’s Our Town on Broadway.
Uchenna recently closed the world premiere of Mater Familias at The Tank as part of Kairos Italy Theater/In Scena! Italian Theater Festival NY. She was also recently an observer of Coleman Domingo and Patricia McGregor's Lights Out: Nat King Cole, as a scholarship recipient in New York Theatre Workshop's Casebook Series.
In her commitment to community building and creating inclusive, equitable spaces, she joined the team at K+K Reset as a Human Resources Consultant, resetting and cultivating the culture for Broadway productions, national tours, general management companies, and more.
Uchenna graduated with honors from Rutgers University, studying theater, human resource management, and creative writing. During her time at Rutgers, she served two terms as Artistic Director of Cabaret Theatre, a student-run theater, overseeing 10 full-scale productions in an 8-month season, later taking on the role of Producer in her final year. Directing/Assisting: Stephen Sondheim’s Company, tick, tick… BOOM!, The Shape of Things, The Niceties, The Last Five Years, Mater Familias, Chicago, and Twelfth Night.
She is a proud recipient of the 2024 Cody Renard Richard Scholarship. In her free time she enjoys singing, reading, and watching coming-of-age movies.
“ As a writer and a director, I am constantly working to create something new. I’m always embracing the fact that something being “new” is ever-changing because nothing is ever new for long. In my work, I attempt to ask two questions I think resonate with us all: What is the meaning of life? What does it mean to you to live right now? These questions continue to guide my artistic and administrative journey, encouraging a constant pursuit of connection and understanding across generations, cultures, and interests.
I believe finding different avenues for storytelling leads to better accessibility. I’ve dedicated my work as an artist and administrator to uncovering some truths of the human experience while promoting equity and inclusion. As an artist, I strive to further our understanding of one another and ourselves. While building my skills as a leader, I embraced the motto "lead with love." This small phrase reminds me to keep empathy at the forefront of everything I do, for empathy brings us closer to those elusive answers and keeps us grounded in our shared humanity.
So, what is the meaning of life? To me, life is trying to understand its true, complicated value but accepting that we may never quite grasp the full picture. I want to remember that I’m human in any way, shape, or form that reminder comes in. Since “right now” is constantly changing, I find it essential to take the time to reflect on life as it’s been and to look forward to what it could be. Through each piece I create, I hope to get a little closer to the truth. ”