Quick answer: Alicia Keys was born Alicia Augello Cook on January 25, 1981, in Manhattan, New York. "Keys" is a stage name that alludes to her piano playing (BlackPast). Filmmaker Ava DuVernay's full name is Ava Marie DuVernay; she was born August 24, 1972, in Long Beach, California (Biography.com). The two will appear together at The Public Theater's Public Forum: 14th on Tuesday, December 1, 2026, at 7 p.m. at The Town Hall in New York City (BroadwayWorld).
What is Public Forum: 14th?
BroadwayWorld reported on November 6, 2026, that The Public Theater and Public Forum curators Alexa Smith and Jeremy McCarter will present a one-night event tied to DuVernay's new documentary, 14th. The film explores the 14th Amendment and its guarantees of citizenship rights and due process. According to the announcement, the evening will feature historical texts and songs, clips from the film, and a conversation with DuVernay. It ends with a conversation with Alicia Keys, whom the announcement calls a 17-time Grammy Award-winning artist and an advocate of the People's Bill of Rights 250 (BroadwayWorld).
14th opens in select U.S. and U.K. theaters on Friday, November 27, and premieres globally on Netflix on Friday, December 4 (BroadwayWorld).
Alicia Keys' real name: Alicia Augello Cook
GRAMMY.com and BlackPast both list her birth name as Alicia Augello Cook (GRAMMY.com; BlackPast). BlackPast says she was born to Teresa Augello and Craig Cook, and NBC says she adopted the stage name "Keys" as a reference to her talent on the piano (NBC Insider). Vogue reported that she grew up in Manhattan Plaza, a residential complex in Hell's Kitchen. Her musical Hell's Kitchen, loosely based on her life, began at The Public Theater in 2023 (Vogue). This December event is presented by The Public but takes place at The Town Hall.
Ava DuVernay's real name
Biography.com lists her full name as Ava Marie DuVernay, born August 24, 1972, in Long Beach, California; we found no record of a separate stage name. She directed the Oscar-nominated historical drama Selma (2014) (Biography.com).
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FAQ
What is Alicia Keys' real name? Alicia Augello Cook. "Keys" is her stage name.
Is Ava DuVernay a stage name? No. Biography.com lists her full name as Ava Marie DuVernay.
When is Public Forum: 14th? Tuesday, December 1, 2026, at 7 p.m. at The Town Hall in New York City, presented by The Public Theater.
When can I watch 14th on Netflix? It premieres worldwide on Netflix on December 4, 2026, after opening in select U.S. and U.K. theaters on November 27.
Why does "Keys" fit Alicia Keys? BlackPast says the name alludes to her being a pianist; she began piano lessons at age seven.