Killing Janet is a genre-blending, interactive autobiographical solo performance that combines stand-up comedy, storytelling, theater, physical transformation, and audience participation. Equal parts hilarious and heartfelt, the piece uses comedy to invite audiences into questions of identity, inheritance, and how we become who we are.
The piece follows a first-generation Nigerian-American woman who goes on live television to "kill" her missionary-given name—and the audience helps decide the verdict.
What begins as an outrageously funny comedy game show gradually reveals itself to be a deeply heartfelt exploration of identity, belonging, and becoming. Audiences arrive expecting to laugh and leave having participated in something much deeper. Rather than remaining passive observers, audiences become active participants in the play's central question, confronting their own assumptions about who has the authority to define another person.
Originally developed as stand-up comedy, Killing Janet has evolved into a full-length theatrical work through developmental readings, its 2026 NYC Fringe premiere, and upcoming performances at the Gotham Storytelling Festival and United Solo Festival. Support for the project will sustain workshops, rehearsals, artistic collaboration, and continued development as the work evolves toward future productions, festival presentations, touring, and eventual adaptation for film and television.
Learn More: http://killingjanetshow.com