Penda Diouf

Penda Diouf writes for the performing arts.

Her plays “La grande Ourse”(jury prize at the April festival at the Théâtre de la Tête Noire in 2018, Collidram prize 2021, finalist for the Sony Labou Tansi prize in 2022)

and “Pistes…” (La Chartreuse reading committee prize, best radio fiction in Germany in 2022, Marulić grand prize for radio fiction in Croatia, broadcast on France Culture)

are published by Quartett.

Her play “Noire comme l’or”, written during a residency at Culture Commune, was shortlisted by the TQ2A/TQI committee and the Théâtre de la Tête Noire. She also wrote “Gorgée d’eau” for the Lycéens citoyens program run by TNS, La Colline, Grand T and Comédie de Reims. The text is directed by Maëlle Dequiedt. Two plays for young audiences, “Le blues des mots” and “L’arbre”, were published in 2022 by Théâtrales jeunesse. Her last play « Soeurs nos forêts aussi ont des épines » is published by Les solitaires intempestifs.

Her plays have been translated into German, English, Armenian, Czech and Finnish.

For two years, Penda Diouf collaborated on the “Opéra de ci de là” program at the Festival d’arts lyriques d’Aix en Provence. Penda Diouf wrote songs for Fidel Fourneyron’s album Bengue, winner of the 2019 Victoire du jazz.

She has benefited from writing residencies at the Institut français de Tunis, the Royal Court in London, the Villa Albertine in New York and the Théâtre National de Strasbourg.

She produced a documentary, Voies sensibles: l’art de marcher en Seine-Saint-Denis for France Culture as part of her residency at the MC93.

She is also co-founder, with Anthony Thibault, of the Jeunes textes en liberté label, which supports contemporary playwrights and promotes greater diversity in storytelling and representation on the stage.

Penda Diouf is the winner of the Mondes nouveaux program, for which she creates “La nuit des reines” at the Basilique de Saint-Denis in 2023.

Penda Diouf is elected “New Theater Talent 2023” by the SACD.

For the 24-25 season, her plays will be presented abroad, notably in Quebec: “Pistes…”, directed by Nathalie Fontalvo, in Germany: “Les paysages de May”, directed by Remsi Al Khalisi, in Belgium: “Harriet Tubman, passeuse” from the shadows, directed by François Ebouele, and also in France: “Soeurs, nos forêts aussi ont des épines” directed by Silvia Costa (published by Solitaires intempestifs in December 2024), ‘Pistes…’ directed by herself, ‘Les invisibles’, directed by Malou Vigier, ‘Mots dits’, directed by Lucie Berelowitsch, ‘La grande ourse’, directed by Anthony Thibault.