College of Performing Arts Faculty

Profile

Garlia is a writer, producer, photographer and mother from Detroit, MI.  In 2008, Garlia founded Blackboard Plays, a monthly series devoted to Black Playwrights.  She is one of the founding producers of Harlem9, OBIE Award winners for, “48Hours in…™Harlem”.  Her Essays and articles have appeared in "The New York Times", "The Washington Post”, "Salon.com" and “American Theatre”.  Her work as a playwright has been supported by the cell, The Fire This Time Festival and #24viralmonologues.   She was a guest artist at Wayne State University 2020-2021, where she also taught a Playwrighting Workshop for MFA Actors.   She worked on an MA in African American and African Diaspora studies at Indiana University before coming to New York for her MFA in Playwrighting which she earned at The New School for Drama. Garlia is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America.  She is the Producing Director of PAAL, where she also received one of their first childcare grants in 2019. Finally, Garlia was a Line Producer at The Public Theater, working on: “Socrates”, “Much Ado About Nothing”, (filmed for Great Performances on PBS), “Mojada”,  “for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enough, “Coal Country”, “The Visitor”.  She was also the Line Producer for Mobile Unit’s Summer of Joy, Shakespeare: Call and Response - August 2021.  Garlia was the Co-Creative Producer of #ToBeBlack, released on Juneteenth 2020 and Co-Producer of “Forward Together” a Virtual event, in support of The Public.  During the Fall of 2020, Garlia was the co-developer and Curator of the #Saytheirnames projection installation.  In April 2022, Garlia was promoted to the first ever Director of Innovation and New Media at The Public.  Outside of New York, Garlia is the Creative Producer for the Obsidian Theatre Festival in Detroit, MI. Finally, she is the Executive Producer of the Black Motherhood and Parenting New Play Festival (#BMPFest), a festival focused on the stories of Black families from Black artists with families.  #BMPFest just completed its 2nd year!

Degrees Held

BA - Theatre and Drama and English, Indiana University
MFA - Playwrighting, New School for Drama

Professional Affiliation

Director, Innovation and New Media - The Public Theater
Senior Creative Producer - The Obsidian Theatre Festival
Founder, Producing Artistic Director - Blackboard Plays
Founding Producer - Harlem9
Executive Producer and Co-Creator - Black Motherhood and Parenting New Play Festival

Awards And Honors

OBIE - Producer "48Hours in...™Harlem" - Harlem9