“Earth, Wind & Car Fire” A Storytelling Joyride…
3 min read
Written & Performed by Janora McDuffie | Directed by Joseph Megel
In Earth, Wind & Car Fire, Janora McDuffie takes us on a captivating journey of self-discovery and transformation. From embracing her sexuality and navigating the complexities of race to redefining personal expectations, this 60-minute solo show is a celebration of life’s twists, turns, and triumphs. Come with Janora on this entertaining & soulful joyride and oversharing adventure.
Directed by Joseph Megel and produced by Jessica Lynn Johnson as part of Hollywood Fringe 2025, performances will be Upstairs @ El Centro (Main Space), 1103 North El Centro Ave in Hollywood on Saturday June 21 at 2 PM, Sunday June 22 at 7:45 PM and Sunday June 29 at 3:15 PM. Tickets are now on sale at the Hollywood Fringe website.
Janora McDuffie is an actress, voiceover artist, speaker and host who brings authenticity and heart to every stage. Whether on screen, behind the mic, or in front of a live audience, she has built a dynamic and multifaceted career in entertainment.
Janora has appeared in hit television shows including NCIS, This Is Us, Truth Be Told, and Grey’s Anatomy. Her voice has been featured in popular video games, ad campaigns and most notably, around the world as the Live Announcer for the 94th Academy Awards.
As a host, her most meaningful work was No More Down Low TV, an award-winning web series amplifying the voices of out and proud LGBTQ+ people of color. Her passion for storytelling and advocacy extends to the podium where she has delivered multiple keynotes—including UNC-Chapel Hill’s 2023 Lavender Graduation as well as a TEDx talk.
Janora first performed “Earth, Wind and Car Fire” as a staged reading for the 25th Anniversary Black Queer Conference in April 2025. She is honored to continue this in-progress work celebrating the intersections of Blackness, queerness, and art—bringing her voice, her story, and her full self to the stage.
Socials: JanoraMcDuffie.com | Instagram | FaceBook
Joseph Megel joined UNC’s faculty in Communication in 2004. He is artist in residence in Performance Studies and director of the Process Series: New Works in Development, continuously presenting public readings of new works since 2008. He is Artistic Director of StreetSigns and Co-Executive Director of Harland’s Creek Productions, producer of new plays, screenplays, and short films.
He has a B.S. Northwestern University, School of Speech, M.A. University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music, M.F.A. University of Southern California, Peter Stark Motion Picture Producing Program, School of Cinema.
Recent direction for StreetSigns includes: Cascade, Temples of Lung and Air, The Talk, Closer Than They Appear, Freight: The Five Incarnations of Abel Green, Trojan Barbie,Blood Knot, Poetic Portraits of a Revolution, Dream Boy, and White People.
Performance Dates & Times
Saturday, June 21 at 2 PM, Sunday, June 22 at 7:45 PM and Sunday, June 29 at 3:15 PM. Tickets are now on sale at the Hollywood Fringe website.
Upstairs @ El Centro (Main Space) is located at 1103 North El Centro Ave. Hollywood, 90038
