Draft:Sonya Winton-Odamtten
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Sonya Winton-Odamtten is a multifaceted American playwright, executive producer, documentarian, professor, and television writer and comprises half of the Emmy-nominated writing team alongside her writing partner, Jonathan I. Kidd. Together, they are known for their work on shows like NCIS New Orleans, ABC’s The Whole Truth, FOX’s Touch, and AMAZON’s Oasis (Pilot), and as the Co-Executive Producers of HBO's hit show Lovecraft Country (TV series).[1]
Early Life and Education[edit]
Winton-Odamtten converted to the Jewish faith and grew up in Los Feliz, California. She later earned her Bachelor’s degree with honors from Spelman College, majoring in Political Science. Subsequently, she received her Master’s in Public Administration from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, as well as a Master’s of Art and a Master’s of Philosophy in African American Studies and Political Science from Yale University and is notable for her significant contributions to the academic and entertainment spheres. She further earned her Doctorate in African-American Studies and Political Science from Yale University,[2] where she crossed paths with her current writing partner, Jonathan I. Kidd.
Theater[edit]
In 2001, together with her writing partner, Jonathan I. Kidd, Winton-Odamtten founded the non-profit theater company Adam, Eve, & Steve Productions (AES) while at Yale. They directed and produced numerous successful theater productions and took a hiatus from their studies in 2003-2004 to complete the documentary "Battleground for a New Generation," focusing on youth mobilization during the Presidential election.[3]
Winton-Odamtten and Kidd’s impact in the theatrical realm was recognized in 2006 when they participated in Suzan-Lori Park's 365 Days/365 Plays National Festival, staging productions at sites of historical significance in Los Angeles.
In 2007, Winton-Odamtten and Kidd contributed to the LAUSD after-school program “Beyond The Bell,” teaching theater to teenagers in South Los Angeles, which utilized intensive readings of the works of Shakespeare, Lorraine Hansberry, and August Wilson to help students create their own one-act plays addressing issues such as environmental justice, class inequality, and bullying.
Career[edit]
Transitioning from academia and theater to television, Winton-Odamtten and Kidd attended the Warner Brothers Television Writers Workshop in 2010[4][5], marking the inception of their television career. They achieved success with various shows, including ABC’s The Whole Truth, FOX’s Touch, and AMAZON’s Oasis (TV Series)." Notably, they sold several spec pilots, including: The 4th Reich (SHOWTIME) with Robert De Niro & Jane Rosenthal attached to executive produce [6], Rodeo Drive (WARNER HORIZON), "Southern Gothic" (LIFETIME) and "Trader" (HBO) with Tika Sumpter attached to star in and executive produce.
In 2016, Winton-Odamtten/Kidd's NCIS New Orleans episode "Rock-a-Bye-Baby" was nominated for a GLAAD Award[7] [8] and in 2021, they received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Drama Series for Lovecraft Country.[9]
In 2019, Winton-Odamtten/Kidd signed an overall deal with HBO, continuing their work as the Co-Executive Producers of the award-winning HBO series Lovecraft Country.[10] Their ongoing term deal with HBO has been marked by achievements, including being finalists for the Ray Bradbury Nebula Award for Dramatic Presentation in 2021[11], joining the Advisory Council of WarnerMedia Access Writers Program[12], joining the LA Theatre Works Board of Directors,[13] receiving a pilot order from HBO for their series adaptation of Octavia Butler's final novel, Fledgling, with Issa Rae and J.J. Abrams among the exec producers[14] and are actively engaged in the development, writing, and Executive Producing a new limited series, "Say Their Names," inspired by The Grim Sleeper murders and intricately explores the life of the esteemed activist Margaret Prescod.[15]
Philanthropy[edit]
Beyond their professional pursuits, Winton-Odamtten and Kidd engage in philanthropy, exemplified by their recent initiative, the Feed Black Covid-19 Health Workers Challenge. After partnering with Frontline Foods, the duo recruited over 40 other Black Hollywood writers in order to support healthcare workers in underserved Black communities around the country. Thus far, their outreach has fed hospital, nursing home, and health clinic staffs in Downtown Los Angeles, St. Louis, New York, Dallas, Houston, Durham, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Providence, Inglewood, Boston, Memphis, and Minneapolis-St. Paul.[16]
Currently represented by WME, Anonymous Content, and JSSK (Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole LLP), Sonya Winton-Odamtten, and Johnathan I. Kidd continue to make significant contributions to the worlds of entertainment, academia, and philanthropy.
Filmography[edit]
Television[edit]
| Year | Show | Writer | Producer | Credit(s) | Episode(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Lovecraft Country | Yes | Yes | Co-Executive Producer | "Strange Case" | Season 1, episode 5 |
| "Rewind 1921" | Season 1, episode 9 | |||||
| 2019 | Treadstone | No | Yes | Supervising Producer | "The Berlin Proposal" | Season 1, episode 3 |
| "The Kwon Conspiracy" | Season 1, Episode 2 | |||||
| "The Cicada Protocol" | Season 1, episode 1 | |||||
| 2018 | Trader | Yes | Yes | Executive Producer/ Creator | Sold to HBO (Undeveloped) | |
| 2017 | Oasis | Yes | Yes | Co-Executive Producer | Mini Room | (Unreleased) Based on the film |
| 2015 | Wicked City | Yes | Yes | Co-Producer | "Blizzard of Ozz" | Season 1, episode 6 |
| NCIS New Orleans | Yes | No | Executive Story Editor | "Rock-a-Bye-Baby" | Season 1, episode 20 | |
| "La Carnaval De la Mort" | Season 1, episode 15 | |||||
| 2014 | "Chasing Ghosts" | Season 1, Episode 9 | ||||
| Killer Women | Yes | No | "In and Out" | Season 1, Episode 5 | ||
| 2013 | The 4th Reich | Yes | Yes | Co-Executive Producer | Written on Spec "Pilot" | Sold to Showtime (Undeveloped) |
| 2012 | Touch | Yes | No | "Story By" Credit | Season 1 | |
| 2011 | Memphis Beat | Yes | No | "Written by" | "Body of Evidence" | Season 2, Episode 7 |
| 2010 | The Whole Truth | No | No | "Story By" Credit | "The End" | Season 1, Episode 13 |
| Yes | No | "Written by" | "Perfect Witness" | Season 1, episode 10 | ||
| Yes | No | "Teleplay" Credit | "When Cougars Attack" | Season 1, Episode 5 |
Theater[edit]
| Title | Playwright | Directed | Produced |
|---|---|---|---|
| "There Must Be A God Somewhere" | Jonathan I. Kidd | Yes | Yes - (Adam, Eve, and Steve Productions) |
| "Shaka" | Jan Henson Dow and Robert Schroeder | No | Yes - (Adam, Eve, and Steve Productions) |
| "Matri-focal Concentric Zones of Violence Revisited: Part One" | Sonya Winton-Odamtten | No | Yes - (Adam, Eve, and Steve Productions) |
Acting[edit]
| Year | Show | Role | Episode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | The Facts of Life | "Annie" | "On the Edge" | Season 9, episode 21 |
| 1987 | 227 | "Carla Brown" | "Got a Job" | Season 2, episode 13 |
References[edit]
- ^ HBO. "Lovecraft Country: The Craft - Co-Executive Producers, Sonya Winton-Odamtten & Jonathan Kidd". Youtube.com. HBO's Channel. Retrieved Oct 12, 2020.
- ^ Shana C., Waterman. "Black Filmmaker Series: In Conversation with Yalie filmmakers Jonathan Kidd and Sonya Winton-Odamtten". alumni.yale.edu. Yale University. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
- ^ Internaltional, Institute. "Film Screening of Battleground for a New Generation Revisited". UCLA.Edu. UCLA. Retrieved June 4, 2008.
- ^ Warner, Brothers. "Warner Brothers 2010 Writers Workshop". Warner Brothers Television workshop. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
- ^ Warner, Brothers. "Warner Brothers 2010 Writers Workshop". Warner Brothers. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
- ^ Nellie, Andreeva (23 January 2013). "Neo-Nazi Drama Produced By Robert De Niro & Jane Rosenthal In The Works At Showtime". Deadline. Deadline.com. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ Newsdesk (29 March 2016). "Exclusive interview with Hollywood writing team nominated for GLAAD Media Award". Out News Global. Retrieved 6 December 2023.<ref name="OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL EPISODE NCIS New Orleans"
- ^ Khatchatourian, Maane (27 January 2016). "GLAAD Media Awards Nominations". Variety.com. Variety E-magazine. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
- ^ Cephas Jones, Ron, Jasmine. "Outstanding Drama Series - Lovecraft Country - 2021 Emmy Nominee". Emmys.com. The Television Academy Emmys. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Nellie, Denise, Andreeva, Petski (9 April 2019). "'Lovecraft Country' Co-EPs Jonathan Kidd & Sonya Winton-Odamtten Ink Overall Deal With HBO". Deadline.com. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ SFWA, Nebula Award (16 March 2021). "SFWA Announces the 56th Annual Nebula Award® Finalists". nebulas.sfwa.org. SFWA.Org. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
- ^ "Sonya and Jonathan join Advisory Council of WarnerMedia Access Writers Program to Amplify Underrepresented Voices in TV 2021". press.wbd.com. Warner Brothers Press. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
- ^ Cristi, A.A. "Emmy-Nominated Writer-Producer Team Jonathan Kidd, Sonya Winton-Odamtten Join L.A Theatre Works Board Of Directors". BroadwayWorld. BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ White, Peter (28 July 2021). "Sonya Winton-Odamtten & Jonathan I. Kidd Score HBO Pilot Script Order For Series Adaptation Of Octavia Butler's 'Fledgling'; Issa Rae & J.J. Abrams To EP". Deadline.com. Deadline. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
- ^ Dino-Ray, Ramos (18 December 2020). "Jonathan I. Kidd & Sonya Winton-Odamtten Reup Overall Deal With HBO; Set Grim Sleeper Limited Series 'Say Their Names'". Deadline. Deadline.com. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
- ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (8 June 2020). "'Lovecraft Country's Sonya Winton-Odamtten And Jonathan Kidd Talk Disproportionate Impact Of COVID-19 On People Of Color, #FeedBCHW Challenge". Deadline.com. Deadline. Retrieved June 8, 2020.