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During these years, Naomi had moved from three different countries due to the events happening in the world. These experiences were influenced in her plays, 36 Views and Anon(ymous). She talks about cultural identity.
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Naomi Iizuka was born in Tokyo, Japan, to her mother, who was an American Latina attorney. Her father was a Japanese banker. -
Shortly after she was born, her family moved to Jakarta, Indonesia, during a political unrest. From this experience, it helped influence her later on with multicultural identity. -
A few years after arriving in Indonesia, it was time to move again. This time, her family moved to the Netherlands. -
Naomi and her family moved once more, to Washington, D.C. Her father received a job at the World Bank, causing their move. -
Naomi went to the National Cathedral School, which is a private day school for grades 4-12.
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Shortly after graduating, she attended Yale Law School. She majored in classical literature and received her bachelor's degree.
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After her studies at Yale University, she attended Yale Law School and spent a year there before she decided to switch her career paths. This decision is what led to her turning point as a playwright. -
Naomi attended the University of California, San Diego, where she studied playwriting. She earned her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in playwriting.
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Iizuka's play, Polaroid Stories, premiered at the Humana Festival in Louisville, Kentucky. This festival made a huge impact on her career as a playwright, as it was the first widely recognized production of hers. Polaroid Stories consisted of Greek mythology and real-life struggles. -
Naomi was awarded the PEN Center USA Award for Drama for Polaroid Stories, which was released a year before winning the award. -
Naomi taught as a playwright at the University of Iowa and the University of Texas, Austin.
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Iizuka received the Whiting Award the same year as her play, Ahola, Say the Pretty Girls, premiered. It showed the use of classical mythology mixed with modern times. -
This play was premiered at the Berkley Repertory Theatre, and is one of her most famous pieces of work. She had inspiration from her bicultural background and is a mystery-drama. -
After the attack on September 11, Naomi created a play called "War of the Worlds". She tried to capture the emotions of 9/11 paranoia and the fear at the time. It was a collaborative adaptation. -
This play is about Anon, who was separated from his mom while trying to flee from war and trying to find a home in America. This includes the challenges that refugees face and the process of immigration. -
After working at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Naomi ultimately decided to leave her six-year job. She was a Professor of Dramatic Arts and the Director of the Playwriting Program. -
After leaving her position at UCSB, she took over as the head of the MFA Playwriting Program at the University of California, San Diego, and is currently still there.
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In Steubenville, Ohio, there was a sexual assault by high school athletes that was filmed and posted on social media. This inspired the playwright, Good Film, to spread awareness. -
Naomi Iizuka was commissioned by the Big Ten Theatre Consortium, which was the first to participate in a series of new up-and-coming female playwrights. -
Naomi has won the Hermitage Award 2024-2025, which recognizes a playwright or theatre artist who created an original work commissioned for over $35,000. She was chosen among 4 other finalists.