University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film & Television Professor Elaine Romero recently joined Arizona Public Media’s Mark McLemore for a conversation on Speaking Personally, discussing her creative process, artistic influences and the stories that continue to shape her work.
Romero, an award-winning playwright whose work explores the complexities of the Southwest, the U.S.-Mexico border and the human experiences shaped by the region, was named a 2026 Guggenheim Fellow in Drama & Performance Art. The prestigious fellowship recognizes exceptional achievement and supports artists, scholars and creatives whose work demonstrates significant impact in their fields.
During the conversation, Romero reflected on the creative process that has guided her career, approaching each new play with curiosity and openness and allowing the story to determine its own form.
“I like to think that a beginner’s mind really matters,” Romero said. “I have to approach each play as if I haven’t written one, because I want each play to tell me the form that it wants to have. I want each play to confess itself to me, and I don’t want to beat that play into submission. I want to listen to that play.”
Romero said the fellowship represents not only an acknowledgment of her artistic journey, but also an opportunity to draw attention to the communities, histories and voices that inspire her work.
“I will use it at every moment to draw attention to the work,” she said. “I’m being given this privilege that I will share with my community, my students, the University of Arizona and my plays.”
Throughout her career, Romero has created works that examine war, immigration, identity and family relationships, including her five-play War Pentalogy and Border Trilogy. Her current Guggenheim-supported project, Diablos Aquí, continues her exploration of the people and places that shape the region.
“I’m hoping that we can ride the privilege that comes with this award and tell the story of this place and this border, of the wars that we’re in, of this democracy,” Romero said. “And if we can do all that, then I will have done my job.”