The the first wig designer to ever receive a special Tony Award
for her design of the Broadway play, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” by Jocelyn Bioh.
Nikiya Makes Broadway History
Nikiya Mathis
Provides workshops called "HAIRversations"
For Actors of color, which are geared toward providing solutions to the "hair" question in auditioning, casting, working in theater and on set.
Wig Design for TV
and film actresses
Including Phylicia Rashad, Danai Gurira, Anika Noni Rose, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Carra Patterson, Kara Young, and others.
Her recent work can be seen on this season of THE GILDED AGE.
Teaches hair/wig design
Masterclasses for universities & organizations, including The Denver Center, The Goodman Theatre, NYU Tisch Graduate Costume Design, Yale, and Princeton universities, among others.
As The Designer
The Why
After years of hearing the complaints of her peers & experiencing her own hair-horror stories, in theater and on television sets, Nikiya created ActTRESSES Hair by Nikiya also known as Our Black TRESSES, which specializes in wig design and styling for actors of color.
Nikiya Mathis is a classically trained actress, who holds an MFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts
She recently recurred in the role of N’kiyah Franklin in
POWER BOOK 3 RAISING KANAN on STARZ.
Her other TV credits include
THE BLACKLIST, CHICAGO MED, BRAINDEAD, NEW AMSTERDAM, BLUE BLOODS, THE NIGHT OF, and others.
The Actor
Nikiya has originated roles in world-premiere off Broadway plays
including:
Oscar-winner Tarell Alvin McCraney's
THE BROTHER/SISTER PLAYS, at the Public Theatre
Olivier Award-winner Dominique Morrisseau's SKELETON CREW at Atlantic Theatre
Kirsten Greenidge's MILK LIKE SUGAR at Playwrights Horizon's
Pulitzer-Prize winner Lynn Nottage's NY revival of FABULATION; OR THE RE-EDUCATION OF UNDINE at the Signature Theater
and others