Oakland University alum earns 2025 Kresge Artist Fellowship for Playwriting

Anetria Cole, an Oakland University alumna and distinguished playwright from Pontiac, Mich, has been selected by Kresge Arts in Detroit as the recipient of the 2025 Kresge Artist Fellowship for Playwriting. She is one of 15 artists — five in the literary arts and 10 in the visual arts — who will receive a no-strings-attached prize of $50,000 from the program, which is administered by the College for Creative Studies on behalf of The Kresge Foundation.

“Receiving the 2025 Kresge Fellowship is like receiving an Oscar or Tony Award to me,” Cole said. “It means so much to have others recognize your work and in a sense it’s like them saying, 'Hey, this is good,' It is a wonderful feeling to know that all of the hard work I've put in over the past 20+ years has not gone unnoticed and that my peers and those in the Arts feel that my work is worthy of recognition. It is a humbling, beautiful experience for which I am very truly grateful for.”

Cole  earned her Bachelor’s degree from Oakland University in 2009 and she still has many fond memories of her time there, which she called “the best years of my life.”

“The Theatre Department was my haven,” she said. “Being around so many talented students and teachers was like being in Hollywood and on Broadway every day. I learned so much there in the Theatre Department and the wisdom and experience from the professors there shaped me into who I am today.

“However, it was Professor Kitty Dubin and her fantastic writing and teaching skills in Playwriting and Advanced Playwriting that molded me and helped me to soar. Kitty is the reason why I am the playwright that I am today. She laid out the perfect writing foundation and helped me to hone my skills. Kitty taught me the correct way to write a play (script) and I use her 'Structural Road Map' even today as I write all of my plays and screenwriting scripts.”

Dubin said she was thrilled when she learned that her former student had been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Kresge Artist Fellowship for Playwriting.

“In my almost 30 years of teaching Playwriting at OU, I have never had a more talented, enthusiastic, brilliant, and hardworking student,” Dubin said. “Anetria soaked up everything I had to teach and thereafter dedicated herself to becoming the best playwright she could be. The rejections and vicissitudes of being a playwright are many, but Anetria never gave up. I couldn’t be happier for her!”

While attending Oakland University, Cole’s passion for writing deepened after she discovered the works of the great American playwrights Lorraine Hansberry (“A Raisin in the Sun”) and August Wilson (“Fences”).

“Their works resonated with me and influenced my writing style,” she said.

Since then, Cole has garnered acclaim for her exceptional contributions to the world of arts. In 2022, she won the prestigious Kresge Artist in Detroit, Gilda Award for her outstanding achievements in Live Arts. And in 2024 she received a Recognition Award from Pontiac’s Golden Opportunity Club for her play, Wessen & Bagley.

Her talent has also earned her multiple writing awards, highlighting her commitment to storytelling. Her works explores the historical and modern complexities of African American life in the United States, showcasing her ability to craft compelling narratives about the African American experience.

“My writing process involves in-depth historical research into the lives of African Americans and the challenges they faced, during and after slavery, the Civil War, the Reconstruction Era, the Great Migration, the Civil Rights Movement, and modern times,” Cole said.

“This research, along with viewing documentaries, interviewing families, and others who experienced or knew of those who experienced what life was like during those times, serves as my foundation and creative technique to craft authentic and compelling dialogue between my characters, and relatable stories for my audiences,” she added. “I carefully and purposefully weave culturally gripping narratives that tells of my ancestors’ diverse experiences, that are portrayed on stage. I meditate on what I’ve learned, let it resonate, and then I create what I and my community want to see on stage.”

Her current body of work digs deep into the moral complexities of African American life for men women, and children impacted by poverty and the limited opportunities afforded to African Americans.

“My characters embark on a journey up North seeking a better life, only to encounter new challenges in their pursuit,” Cole said. “I capture their struggles and successes. Their fears, and their strengths. I explore how receiving higher education and working in the automotive industry elevated them from a working-class society to the sought-after Middle and Upper-class ranks.

“At times, my narratives navigate through their illegal attempts to achieve success, through such avenues as the illegal gambling rackets affectionately known as ‘the numbers’, and prostitution, which some were lured into until their version of the ‘American Dream’ materialized,” Cole added. “Their relentless quest for a place in this world serves as a profound inspiration for my work. Through the power of the stage and playwriting, my work explores the roots of our past and the ongoing journey of our dreams and aspirations.”

Cole said she plans to use the award from the Kresge Artist Fellowship to support her playwriting efforts and purchase equipment to film her work.

“It couldn’t have happened at a better time,” she said.

You can learn more about Cole and her work at www.humblefolkproductions.com.

To learn more about the 2025 Kresge Artist Fellowship, visit kresgeartsindetroit.org/awards.