“I want to focus on stories, certainly about Black people and BIPOC people, but also stories of powerful women in general and powerful families,” says “Claws” showrunner Janine Sherman Barrois — and to that end, she has launched a new production banner, Folding Chair Prods., at Warner Bros. Television Group. Variety broke the news.
The writer-producer, whose showrunner credits also include “The Kings of Napa” and “Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam CJ Walker,” took the name from one of her favorite quotes, by the late congresswoman and presidential candidate Shirley Chisholm: “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”
“I want the spirit of the ‘folding chair,’ of taking down the glass ceiling and finding your own place — not waiting for the industry to do it for you — to come through in all of the projects that we do, and with all of the writers we work with,” Sherman Barrois explained.
She also shared that in the early days of her television career, she had not realized the extent of the lack of opportunities for Black women writers until she met other writers of color “who would say to me, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve never been in a writer’s room with another Black person — I didn’t even know there were this many people of color wanting to write television!’”
While she acknowledges that more opportunities have arisen in the past couple decades, she knows there is still plenty of room for improvement. “There are many artists and writers and directors in this town and elsewhere that just need a champion. I want to champion the voices that other people might be overlooking for whatever reason.” With that in mind, Folding Chair seeks to develop thought-provoking, inclusive projects with both established and up-and-coming talent.
The new arrangement is a continuation of an ongoing relationship with Warner Bros. TV where Sherman Barrois has held several overall deals. Nikita S. Adams, a former agent at Paradigm Talent Agency and A3 Artists Agency, will serve as head of television.
Sherman Barrois’ earlier credits include “ER,” “Criminal Minds,” and “The Jamie Foxx Show.”
