Felicia Penza

Join Centered.PHX(@centered.phx )+Rebel Phoenix Theatre Collective (@rebelphxtheatre ) for a staged reading of Stew, a richly layered and emotionally charged play by acclaimed playwright Zora Howard. Performed by members of the Rebel Phoenix cast, this intimate reading explores family, memory, survival, and the unspoken ingredients passed down through generations of Black women. The reading runs approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. Guests should allow up to two hours total for the full event experience, including seating and post-show gathering. Directed by: Felicia Penza (@busyfee ) June 8th 7pm-9pm South Mountain Community College Link in bio.

It’s been a whirlwind working as assistant stage manager for Ragtime, opening tonight at Herberger Theater. If you know me, this show has always held a special place in my heart since 2009, so getting to sit in the wings and watch this all come together has been something special. Nine rehearsals. One intense tech week. Bananas. For the run of the show, I’ll be backstage helping visuals/backdrops for scene transitions. With a full orchestra to my immediate left, I’m going to try my absolute hardest not to sing New Music and Henry Ford at the top of my lungs. I’m going to TRY. 🎶 Special thanks to Rebecca Weinstein for being the kind of stage manager who makes the impossible look effortless. Managing fifty-eleven people, tracking every prop, every cue, every entrance, every personality… and doing it all with a smile? A sight to behold. Grateful to be part of this. Added bonus? Meeting so many super nice people AND subtly stalking my best friend Chanel Bragg @cmbragg from the wings. Places, everyone. 🎭 If you hear faint harmonizing backstage…mind your business.

Phoenix friends, I need your help! My twins are officially entering their “almost 16, ready to earn their own money” era this summer, and we’re looking for solid, legit first job options. Think: 🎬 Movie theaters (AMC, Harkins) 🍦 Ice cream spots (Dairy Queen, Cold Stone) 🛒 Grocery stores (Safeway, Fry’s, Sprouts) 🍔 Fast casual spots, retail, anywhere teen-friendly Babysitting is cool, but I’m really looking for places that hire teens, have good management, and give them a real first-job experience. If your teen works somewhere they love (or you’ve heard good things), drop it below 👇🏾 Bonus points if they’re hiring right now! Thank you in advance for any suggestions! Feel free to DM me too if you like.

Today was my last in-person Design II class at GCU for the spring semester. Hearing my students say ‘Professor Penza’ is still wild to me—I hear it and still do a double take since starting as an adjunct with GCU last fall. Teaching forced me to slow down and explain things I usually do on instinct… and yeah, I learned a lot in the process. Corny, but true. All while directing two plays, producing my cabaret/art exhibition last October, and, you know, writing, editing + publishing my first book. Grateful for it all. Onto the next 📆

More ways to find this story. More chances for it to find you. 🧡 I Will Always Choose You is now available across platforms. Barnes and Noble. Amazon. BookBaby and GoodReads. If you read it and it resonates, I’d truly appreciate you sharing your thoughts—whether in a quick review or a post. Algorithms are real, and your words help this book reach the families who need it most. Find. Read. Share. 🔗 Visit /the-book

I have news ✨ My monologue “ACT 46” has been selected for Invisible Theatre’s @invisible.theatre Going It Alone festival in Tucson this May (15 selected out of 500+ submissions 👀). I’m learning that one of my favorite parts of writing is letting go… Handing the words over and watching a director and actor interpret, stretch, and breathe new life into them. What starts as “mine” quickly becomes ours. I’m excited to see how this story evolves when it hits the stage. Tucson, I’ll see you next month. 🎟️ More details in the events section:

My baby is out here FLYING 🔥 Shoutout to my son Grayson for stepping into high school track & field and already making moves as a freshman on VARSITY hurdles (!!) and even jumping into long jump from time to time. Building discipline. The growth. The commitment. And yes… the leaps and bounds (literally) 🖤 Watching you push yourself, stick with your training, and be present has me over here in full proud Mama mode. Keep going, Bubba. You’re just getting started. ✨ #ProudMom #TrackAndField #VarsityFreshman #GrayBaby #BoyMom

I Will Always Choose You is already out in the world (hi, @bookbabyofficial fam! 💛), but now she’s getting a wider reach… Starting April 13, the book will be available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble for broader distribution! Self-publishing has been a journey, but seeing this story expand into more hands and more homes means everything. And with Mother’s Day right around the corner, this book makes a beautiful gift for the moms, mother figures, and chosen families who show up with love every single day 💐 You can pre-order now: /the-book Thank you for continuing to support, share, and champion this labor of love 🫶🏽

Dear Black Woman, I am a Phoenix-based multidisciplinary artist, graphic designer, storyteller, and performer whose work explores identity, family, belonging, and the quiet resilience passed through generations. A proud daughter, mother, and cultural bridge-builder, I use art and storytelling to honor the complexities of modern family life while celebrating the strength of matriarchal legacy. With a career in graphic design spanning more than two decades, I have worked with publications, arts organizations, and educational institutions to create thoughtful visual narratives. Alongside my design work, I am an active creative force in the Phoenix arts community as a playwright, cabaret performer, and visual artist whose paintings and installations have been exhibited throughout the Valley. I am the founder of BusyFee Productions, a creative platform that houses my design work, storytelling projects, and public-facing art initiatives. My creative practice frequently blends mediums, combining visual art, performance, and personal narrative to explore how memory and heritage shape who we become. I am also the author of the children’s book I Will Always Choose You, a heartfelt story that reassures children from nontraditional families that love and belonging are defined by those who show up consistently with care and devotion. The book reflects my commitment to telling stories that help families navigate complicated emotions with tenderness and honesty. At the center of my work is a belief that storytelling has the power to build community, heal generational wounds, and remind us that we are part of something larger than ourselves. Whether through design, theatre, visual art, or the spoken word, my work invites audiences to recognize the beauty and strength carried within their own stories. Come hear the story I wrote for you, Felicia Penza @busyfee —- Centered.PHX (@centered.phx ) Storytelling Night-A live storytelling experience featuring real stories from Black folks. Each night centers authentic voices, shared memories, and the many ways Black life unfolds across the city.

Another Local Author Book signing and book reading for Women’s History Month with Felicia Penza happening TODAY!! Book : ( I Will Always Choose You). A great book for the kiddos going down from 12-1:30pm come and support!!! #grassrootzbookstore #womenauthors #downtownphoenix

Our auntie @busyfeekids wrote a book and we had a TON of fun at her book launch! 🌺🌸 Tía Felicia even sign a copy of her book for us. 📖 If you want to buy your own copy of #iwillalwayschooseyou it’s available now on @bookbabyofficial and for preorder on @amazon and @barnesandnoble

"I just held my book launch and first public reading for 'I Will Always Choose You' here in Phoenix this past weekend. The timing of the books arriving from BookBaby couldn’t have been better, and having them in hand truly contributed to the success of the launch. I’m very grateful for that." - Felicia Penza (@busyfeekids ) “I Will Always Choose You” is a wonderful new children’s book that celebrates love and chosen family — now available on BookBaby Bookshop. We're honored Felicia Penza trusted BookBaby for her printing and distribution! 💛📙 Shop this beautiful book and add it to your bookshelf just in time for spring reading at the link in our bio 🏵️ #childrensbookauthor #childrensbook #chosenfamily #selfpublishing #indieauthor #blackauthor #blackstories #kidsbooks #childrenslit