Melis Aker

During the [[COVID-19]] lockdown, Aker wrote the teleplay ''Fractio Panis'' for The Homebound Project, performed by [[Brian Cox (actor)|Brian Cox]] and Nicole Ansari-Cox.{{cite web |title=The Homebound Project concludes with star-studded anthology |url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/the-homebound-project-concludes-with-one-last-star-studded-anthology-of-shorts-080520 |website=Time Out New York |access-date=2025-06-10 |last1=Feldman |first1=Adam }}{{cite web |title=Homebound Project announcement |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Laurie-Metcalf-Kelli-OHara-Amanda-Seyfried-and-More-Set-for-Fifth-and-Final-Edition-of-THE-HOMEBOUND-PROJECT-20200730 |website=BroadwayWorld |access-date=2025-06-10}} She contributed two monologues to The 24 Hour Plays and served as a panelist alongside [[Annie Baker]] and [[Jesse Eisenberg]].{{cite web |title=24 Hour Plays nationals cohort announced |url=https://playbill.com/article/meet-the-cohort-for-the-2024-edition-of-the-24-hour-plays-nationals |website=Playbill |access-date=2025-06-10}}{{cite web |title=Viral monologues edition |url=https://playbill.com/article/watch-ethan-hawke-michael-urie-rebecca-naomi-jones-more-in-another-edition-of-the-24-hour-plays-viral-monologues |website=Playbill |access-date=2025-06-10}}

During the [[COVID-19]] lockdown, Aker wrote the teleplay ''Fractio Panis'' for The Homebound Project, performed by [[Brian Cox (actor)|Brian Cox]] and Nicole Ansari-Cox.{{cite web |title=The Homebound Project concludes with star-studded anthology |url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/the-homebound-project-concludes-with-one-last-star-studded-anthology-of-shorts-080520 |website=Time Out New York |access-date=2025-06-10 |last1=Feldman |first1=Adam }}{{cite web |title=Homebound Project announcement |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Laurie-Metcalf-Kelli-OHara-Amanda-Seyfried-and-More-Set-for-Fifth-and-Final-Edition-of-THE-HOMEBOUND-PROJECT-20200730 |website=BroadwayWorld |access-date=2025-06-10}} She contributed two monologues to The 24 Hour Plays and served as a panelist alongside [[Annie Baker]] and [[Jesse Eisenberg]].{{cite web |title=24 Hour Plays nationals cohort announced |url=https://playbill.com/article/meet-the-cohort-for-the-2024-edition-of-the-24-hour-plays-nationals |website=Playbill |access-date=2025-06-10}}{{cite web |title=Viral monologues edition |url=https://playbill.com/article/watch-ethan-hawke-michael-urie-rebecca-naomi-jones-more-in-another-edition-of-the-24-hour-plays-viral-monologues |website=Playbill |access-date=2025-06-10}}

In 2022, Aker was named one of the "Women to Watch" by the Broadway Women's Fund, an initiative recognising emerging female theatre-makers.https://www.broadwaywomensfund.com/2022-women-to-watch {{Dead link|date=August 2025}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadwaywomensfund.com/team|title=Team|website=Broadway Womens Fund}} Her play with music ''Hound Dog'' premiered [[Off-Broadway]] at Greenwich House Theater, co-produced by [[Ars Nova]] and The Play Company.{{Cite web|url=https://arsnovanyc.com/hound-dog/|title=Hound Dog – Ars Nova|date=August 24, 2022|website=arsnovanyc.com}}https://www.playco.org/hound-dog {{Dead link|date=August 2025}} The play received a mixed reception. [[Elisabeth Vincentelli]] of [[The New York Times]] was critical of the play, writing that it had unfulfilled potential and a lack of focus and bite.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/26/theater/hound-dog-review.html|title='Hound Dog' Review: A Soul-Searching Journey Strays Off Course|first=Elisabeth|last=Vincentelli|work=The New York Times |date=October 26, 2022|via=NYTimes.com}} The show was listed by [[Time Out New York]] among the best Off-Broadway productions of the season.https://www.timeout.com/newyork/theater/best-off-broadway-shows-in-nyc {{Dead link|date=August 2025}} That year, she was announced as the inaugural LaunchPad resident playwright at [[Signature Theatre Company]], where she was commissioned to write the play ''Fish''.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=22 September 2022 |title=Melis Aker Is Signature Theatre's Inaugural LaunchPad Resident |url=https://www.americantheatre.org/2022/09/22/melis-aker-is-signature-theatres-inaugural-launchpad-resident/ |website=AMERICAN THEATRE}}{{cite web |last=Gans |first=Andrew |date=13 September 2022 |title=Melis Aker Named Signature Theatre's 1st LaunchPad Resident Playwright |url=https://playbill.com/article/melis-aker-named-signature-theatres-1st-launchpad-resident-playwright |website=Playbill}} The play was featured as part of Signature Theatre's 2023–24 season.https://signaturetheatre.org/shows-and-events/Productions/2023-2024/Fish.aspx {{Dead link|date=August 2025}}

In 2022, Aker was named one of the "Women to Watch" by the Broadway Women's Fund, an initiative recognising emerging female theatre-makers.https://www.broadwaywomensfund.com/2022-women-to-watch {{Dead link|date=August 2025}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadwaywomensfund.com/team|title=Team|website=Broadway Women's Fund}} Her play with music ''Hound Dog'' premiered [[Off-Broadway]] at Greenwich House Theater, co-produced by [[Ars Nova]] and The Play Company.{{Cite web|url=https://arsnovanyc.com/hound-dog/|title=Hound Dog – Ars Nova|date=August 24, 2022|website=arsnovanyc.com}}https://www.playco.org/hound-dog {{Dead link|date=August 2025}} The play received a mixed reception. [[Elisabeth Vincentelli]] of [[The New York Times]] was critical of the play, writing that it had unfulfilled potential and a lack of focus and bite.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/26/theater/hound-dog-review.html|title='Hound Dog' Review: A Soul-Searching Journey Strays Off Course|first=Elisabeth|last=Vincentelli|work=The New York Times |date=October 26, 2022|via=NYTimes.com}} The show was listed by [[Time Out New York]] among the best Off-Broadway productions of the season.https://www.timeout.com/newyork/theater/best-off-broadway-shows-in-nyc {{Dead link|date=August 2025}} That year, she was announced as the inaugural LaunchPad resident playwright at [[Signature Theatre Company]], where she was commissioned to write the play ''Fish''.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=22 September 2022 |title=Melis Aker Is Signature Theatre's Inaugural LaunchPad Resident |url=https://www.americantheatre.org/2022/09/22/melis-aker-is-signature-theatres-inaugural-launchpad-resident/ |website=AMERICAN THEATRE}}{{cite web |last=Gans |first=Andrew |date=13 September 2022 |title=Melis Aker Named Signature Theatre's 1st LaunchPad Resident Playwright |url=https://playbill.com/article/melis-aker-named-signature-theatres-1st-launchpad-resident-playwright |website=Playbill}} The play was featured as part of Signature Theatre's 2023–24 season.https://signaturetheatre.org/shows-and-events/Productions/2023-2024/Fish.aspx {{Dead link|date=August 2025}}

In 2023, Aker received a [[Jonathan Larson]] Grant through the [[American Theatre Wing]] as co-book writer and co-lyricist of the bilingual musical ''Azul''.https://www.americantheatre.org/2023/04/04/2023-larson-grant-winners-announced/ {{Dead link|date=August 2025}}https://newyorktheater.me/2023/04/04/2023-jonathan-larson-grant-winners-include-azul-creators-and-a-stray-dog/ {{Dead link|date=August 2025}} That year, she also joined the 503Five residency at [[Theatre503]] in London, where she developed her play ''Murmurs'' under commission.{{Cite web|url=https://theatre503.com/503-twp/503five/|title=Theatre503 | 503Five}}{{Cite web |title=thestage.co.uk |url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/new-writing-scheme-the-503five-announces-2023-intake}} {{Dead link|date=August 2025}}https://www.londonpubtheatres.com/theatre503-announces-new-503five-residents/ {{Dead link|date=August 2025}}

In 2023, Aker received a [[Jonathan Larson]] Grant through the [[American Theatre Wing]] as co-book writer and co-lyricist of the bilingual musical ''Azul''.https://www.americantheatre.org/2023/04/04/2023-larson-grant-winners-announced/ {{Dead link|date=August 2025}}https://newyorktheater.me/2023/04/04/2023-jonathan-larson-grant-winners-include-azul-creators-and-a-stray-dog/ {{Dead link|date=August 2025}} That year, she also joined the 503Five residency at [[Theatre503]] in London, where she developed her play ''Murmurs'' under commission.{{Cite web|url=https://theatre503.com/503-twp/503five/|title=Theatre503 | 503Five}}{{Cite web |title=thestage.co.uk |url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/new-writing-scheme-the-503five-announces-2023-intake}} {{Dead link|date=August 2025}}https://www.londonpubtheatres.com/theatre503-announces-new-503five-residents/ {{Dead link|date=August 2025}}