The place: Houston, Texas. The time: 1978. This is the America that two newlywed Nigerian immigrants arrive in with the hope of achieving the Nigerian Dream, finding success and eventually returning to better their homeland. But life has different plans for Abasiama “Ama” Ekpeyoung and her husband Ukpong, the foundational characters in “Sojourners,” the first of a series of nine plays named the Ufot Family Cycle by Mfoniso Udofia.

Over the next two years, Boston will play host to the entire series — the first time all nine plays have been performed as a true cycle.

Nigerian-American playwright Udofia started off as an actress. The Southbridge, Massachusetts, native graduated from Wellesley College and earned her Masters of Fine Arts degree from the American Conservatory Theater in the hopes of pursuing a life onstage. The Great Recession changed that trajectory.

“I became a writer before I knew I was a writer,” Udofia said. “It took me time to grow into that word and call myself a writer out loud.”

She went on to write for streaming series including Netflix’s “13 Reasons Why,” Amazon’s “A League of Their Own,” and Apple TV+ series “Lessons in Chemistry” and “Pachinko,” the latter earning her a Peabody Award.

But the stage still called to Udofia. She wrote three plays, which turned into five plays, which turned into nine plays — all centered around one family over three generations.

“I am trying to look at what is growth over a swing of 100 years,” Udofia said. “So I didn’t want to tell that in one play. I wanted to look at these characters and grow them over time.”

Udofia said the inspiration for the family at the center of the Ufot Family Cycle is based on childhood memories, including yearly meetings where Nigerian Americans from Akwa Ibom would come together for a sense of community. She remembers listening to the men speaking about the longing and desire to return to their country, but also acknowledging the good that had come from being in the United States.

And despite the authentic characters Udofia constructed, she states the characters are not autobiographical in a conventional sense.

“It’s like taking the heart of my mom, taking the walk of an auntie, taking the flick of a wrist of a cousin, and smushing all of that together to go, ‘I think Abasiama is this woman,’” she said. “I feel echoes more than anything.”

“Sojourners” kicks off at the Huntington Theatre on Thursday, October 31. For more information, visit https://huntingtontheatre.org/

Guest: 

  • Mfoniso Udofia, award-winning playwright and the creator of the Ufot Family Cycle.