the cold hard truth

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ZENIBA NOW is a Richard Rodgers, Jonathan Larson, Vivace, and Thom Thomas Award-winning writer, recording artist, comedian, actress, and educator, named a 2024 Woman to Watch on Broadway. She co-wrote and starred in Beloved, filmed live at The Public Theater for #BARS (created by Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal) and later featured on PBS’s The Great American Read. She also co-wrote and starred in The Loophole in The Public Theater’s Public Studio; the show later headlined The Passing the Mic Intergenerational Hip Hop Festival, whose former headliners include Janelle Monáe. Her co-written musical Take the Lead premieres at Paper Mill Playhouse in spring 2025, directed by Tony Award-winner Christopher Gattelli. Zeniba co-wrote the audio collection Human Resources, which played Woolly Mammoth and St. Louis Rep. She is currently co-writing music and lyrics for a new musical with Tony Award-winner Tom Kitt for Disney Theatrical Productions.

As a recording artist, Zeniba spans genres—from the meditative debut EP Wholly Chill to zany bops like “Stay on the Line,” produced by Teddy Roxpin, which holds the highest possible honor: two babies laughed for the first time while listening to it! Recently, she contributed vocals and voice acting to a new project in development with Disney Animation.

Zeniba’s four one-woman specials (iQuit: Millennial Retirement Gala, Sincerely, Z, April Fools, The Speed of Truth) have garnered millions of views on social media, blending independent films, musical theater, and comedy covers like her parody “Broken Nail Audition.” She contributed original works to the DGF 60th Anniversary Gala and the 50th Anniversary of HAIR! at The Public, where she was commissioned as “an artist with the revolutionary spirit of HAIR!” As an actress, select stage performances include Carly in the world premiere of Interstate (Mixed Blood), Blue in afloat (WP Theatre), Polly in The Loophole (The Public Theater), Effie in Dreamgirls (Theatre Raleigh), and Andy Warhol in 3 Warhols (Caveat). She starred in the short films Tempo Rubato, Jordan & Avery, and Clandestiny. She directed the shorts Who Is Pamela Browne?, Social Media Police, Yelpback, and Orangethrup Grandel Superfan.

She is a Boston Conservatory graduate with a BFA in Musical Theater and an emphasis in directing as well as a Dramatist Guild Foundation Fellow and an MTF Maker. She has created original curricula for the NEA, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, The Public Theater, and her private studio, Tender Hypeman, where she has coached Broadway performers for over a decade. Excitement about the evolution of humanity is foundational to all of Zeniba's work. She has studied neuroscience at Biocybernaut with Dr. James Hardt and in advanced retreats with Dr. Joe Dispenza.

Zeniba is West High’s Funniest Senior via popular vote; she brings this up constantly.