ShaWanna Renee Rivon is an award winning, and nationally renowned Playwright and Producer. With her first writing premiere in Los Angeles with Deal Breakers, the NAACP nominated production, co-produced with Lisa Nicole Bell, this creative journey began taking its flight. Her early writing experienced was first nurtured in the urban play market with romantic comedies. ShaWanna’s success grew to more popularly featured productions such as Cheaper to Keep Her and Marriage Material, which starred Vivica Fox, Brian McKnight, and Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins (of “TLC”), both of which toured nationally. As an Actor, ShaWanna starred as a series regular on cartoon shows such as Strawberry Shortcake (as Raspberry Torte), The Bratz (as Sasha), and The Care Bears (as Cheer Bear). Upon returning home to Houston ShaWanna elected to fulfill her tenacity for arts training, earning her BFA in Playwriting and Dramaturgy from the University of Houston, all while continuing to write and produce professionally in the local Houston market. As a developing creative, ShaWanna discovered her niche and artists mission: To create period-piece comedies, centered around the lives of Black women, and their obstacles, past and present. In this, she has begun the development of her 6-Play Cycle. The first of which, being Old Black and White Hollywood, about a 1950’s Black woman comic who strongly desires to become the first Black star on screen, all without the tropes of playing a maid. Old Black & White Hollywood was part of the University of Houston’s 2019-2020 season, was developed with Suzan Lori Parks, and won ShaWanna The Edward Albee Playwriting Award. The latest of productions in her 6-Play Cycle, Power to the Queendom, was developed with the Rec Room Writers. The script being loosely based on a true story in Houston’s past in 1970, about a group of female Black Panthers forced to protect their community amidst urgent racial and revolutionary events and circumstances. The third play installment into ShaWanna’s 6-Play Cycle, Miss Culture, 1983, is currently in development through her artists-residency with Rec Room Theatre.