JANORA MCDUFFIE proudly presents the New York Premiere of EARTH, WIND, & CAR FIRE
The road to becoming yourself is rarely straight.
“Earth, Wind & Car Fire is one of those very rare solo shows that successfully walks the line between comic, soulful, and heartbreaking.” - NOHO Arts District
“‘Earth, Wind, & Car Fire’ is an intimate, spiritual and humorous story that will resonate with anyone who’s ever had to choose between comfort and conviction.” - LA Theatrix
Written by and Starring JANORA MCDUFFIE
Directed by JOSEPH MEGEL
UNITED SOLO FESTIVAL
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 8:30 P.M.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2026 7 P.M.
THEATRE ROW
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
NEW YORK, NY – This October, acclaimed actress, voiceover artist, and the voice of the Oscars, JANORA MCDUFFIE brings her celebrated solo show EARTH, WIND, & CAR FIRE, directed by Joseph Megel, to New York City for the first time. EARTH, WIND, & CAR FIRE will play a two-night-only limited engagement on Thursday, October 29 at 8:30 pm and Friday, October 30 at 7:00 pm as part of the United Solo Festival at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street). Tickets are $65 and available at https://unitedsolo.org/the-21st-annual-united-solo-theatre-festival/earth-wind-car-fire/.
A Black queer woman falls in love with a white cop and is forced to reconcile love, identity, race, family, and faith when the world demands she choose sides. Told with humor and soul, this intimate storytelling experience is part reflection, part TMI, all fire.
“Because it’s a story most people wouldn’t expect. It puts a deeply personal, culturally complex love story on stage with honesty, humor, and unapologetic perspective. It’s intimate, raw, and rhythm-driven, inviting audiences into the tension between who we are, who we love, and who we are brave enough to become.” - Janora McDuffie, Playwright
The production stars Janora McDuffie (Grey’s Anatomy, 94th Academy Awards Live Announcer) as herself.
Caitlin Rucker is the stage manager. Publicity by Katie Rosin/Kampfire PR.
Tickets are $65 and are now available online at https://unitedsolo.org/the-21st-annual-united-solo-theatre-festival/earth-wind-car-fire/ or by calling 212-714-2442. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the Theatre Row Box Office, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday - Sunday.
Running Time: 58 minutes
Website: https://janoramcduffie.com/solo-show
https://unitedsolo.org/the-21st-annual-united-solo-theatre-festival/earth-wind-car-fire/
Instagram: @jmcdeezie / Facebook: thejanoramcduffie
BIOGRAPHIES
JANORA MCDUFFIE (Playwright/Performer) is an actress, voiceover artist, and storyteller whose work spans television, film, and live performance. Best known as the live announcer for the 94th Academy Awards and for her recurring role on Grey’s Anatomy, she brings a commanding presence and emotional precision to her work across mediums.
A Morehead-Cain Scholar and graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, McDuffie’s artistic voice is rooted in personal storytelling that explores identity, connection, and contradiction with honesty, humor, and soul. Her solo show, Earth, Wind & Car Fire, marks a powerful expansion of that work, blending autobiographical narrative, character work, and a rhythm-driven soundscape to create an intimate and unflinching theatrical experience.
With a background in both performance and voice, McDuffie’s work is defined by its immediacy and ability to connect deeply with audiences on screen, behind the mic, and now, center stage.
JOSEPH MEGEL (Director) is an award-winning director, producer, and artistic leader whose work has been seen Off-Broadway and in leading regional theaters across the country. His acclaimed productions include Howard L. Craft's Freight: The Five Incarnations of Abel Green (a New York Times Critics' Pick) and Guillermo Reyes's Men on the Verge of a Hispanic Breakdown, winner of both an Outer Critics Circle Award in New York and an Ovation Award in Los Angeles.
Megel served as Artist in Residence at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he led the Process Series: New Works in Development for eighteen seasons, presenting public readings of new works from 2008–2026. He is Artistic Director of StreetSigns and Co-Executive Director of Harland's Creek Productions, organizations dedicated to the development and production of new plays, screenplays, and films.
A graduate of Northwestern University School of Speech, Megel holds an MFA from the USC Peter Stark Producing Program.
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Listings Information:
Who: Janora McDuffie and United Solo Festival
What: Earth, Wind, & Car Fire
Where: Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street)
When: October 29, 2026, 8:30 P.M. & October 30, 2026 7 P.M.
How: Tickets are available at https://unitedsolo.org/the-21st-annual-united-solo-theatre-festival/earth-wind-car-fire/
A Black queer woman falls in love with a white cop and is forced to reconcile love, identity, race, family, and faith when the world demands she choose sides. Told with humor and soul, this intimate storytelling experience is part reflection, part TMI, all fire.
