Cherokee Nation Playwright DeLanna Studi Named Finalist for 2025–26 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize
- Cherokee 411 Staff
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Cherokee 411 Staff Report
The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize—the oldest and most prestigious international award recognizing women+ playwrights writing for the English-speaking stage has announced its finalists for the 2025–26 cycle. Among the ten writers honored this year is DeLanna Studi (Cherokee Nation), celebrated actor, writer, and advocate for Indigenous visibility in the arts.
Studi’s new play, “I” is for Invisible, was submitted by the New Harmony Project (Indiana) and has quickly drawn national attention for its powerful storytelling and urgent cultural relevance. Her work stands alongside finalists from Ireland, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and the United States.
The winner of the 48th Annual Susan Smith Blackburn Prize will be announced on February 26, 2026, at the Royal Court Theatre in London. The winner receives $25,000 and a signed Willem de Kooning print created exclusively for the Prize. Each finalist is awarded $5,000, and judges may award an additional $10,000 Special Commendation.
A Cherokee Story Rooted in Urgency and Truth
“I” is for Invisible centers on a Cherokee family searching for their missing loved one amid the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women/Relatives (MMIW/MMIR). Studi weaves the narrative through Cherokee cosmology, community teachings, and lived experience bringing visibility to a national crisis that disproportionately impacts Indigenous people yet remains widely ignored.
Described as a mysterious thriller, the play confronts not only the grief of loss but also the systemic apathy that surrounds cases of missing Native people. It explores themes of visibility, justice, survival, and the emotional toll placed on families left to navigate broken systems.
For Cherokee audiences, the story is deeply resonant reflecting real struggles faced across Indian Country and echoing the calls for justice made by grassroots advocates, families, and Tribal Nations.
Workshops and National Recognition Ahead
“I” is for Invisible will continue its development through multiple high-profile workshops and readings:
April 2026 – PlayFest Indy (New Harmony Project)
May 5, 2026 – A workshop and reading hosted by the Native Theatre Project on the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women/Relatives
By placing Indigenous stories on major national stages, Studi continues to broaden the reach of Native theatre while affirming that Cherokee stories belong not at the margins, but at the center of contemporary American arts.
A Distinguished Group of Finalists
Studi joins nine other finalists from across the globe, including writers from Ireland, South Africa, the UK, and the U.S. The full list includes:
Barbara Bergin (Ireland) – Dublin Gothic
Hannah Doran (UK/Ireland) – Meat Kings! (Inc.) of Brooklyn Heights
Amy Jephta (South Africa) – A Good House
Frances Poet (UK) – Small Acts of Love
Ro Reddick (US) – Cold War Choir Practice
Jasmine Sharma (US) – Pigeonhole
Jen Silverman (US) – Regressions
DeLanna Studi (Cherokee Nation) – “I” is for Invisible
Else Went (US) – Initiative
Bess Wohl (US) – Liberation
Honoring Cherokee Voices in Global Theatre
DeLanna Studi’s recognition marks another milestone for Cherokee artists whose work brings cultural memory, language, and lived Indigenous realities to international stages. Her finalist selection not only honors her creative excellence but brings visibility to the MMIW/MMIR crisis—an issue Cherokee families know all too well.
Cherokee 411 will continue to follow Studi’s work as “I” is for Invisible moves into national workshops and approaches the Prize announcement in February.