A.J. Currie

2024 Diverso Fellow
University of Southern California

NIGHTINGALE
Logline: Fresh out of Prohibition and at the height of vaudeville, a glamorous Broadway burlesque house is thrown into chaos when its dancers begin disappearing, and an obsessed synesthete—who believes he can see divine messages in their music—sets his sights on the next performer.

Born in conservative ‘90s Pakistan, gay and genderqueer AJ Currie was “othered” from the get-go, and started world-building nice and early as a way of escaping the confines of his reality. An immigrant who adores a good fashion moment, AJ writes about outsiders trying to find a way in. His work balances humanist contemplation with theatrical flair — because complicated cultural conversations are more fun in high heels with a wine pairing and Hello Dollie! blasting in the background. He is a 2024 Humanitas New Voices Fellow and 2024 Disruptors Fellow.