Niegel Smith

Niegel Smith is a director, writer, and performance artist known for his innovative and socially conscious work. He was born in the Bronx and raised in Maryland, and he holds a B.A. in directing from Howard University and an M.F.A. in playwriting from the Yale School of Drama.

Smith has directed a wide range of productions, from classic plays to experimental works. He is perhaps best known for his work with the theater company The Flea, where he served as artistic director from 2012-2017. During his tenure, he oversaw the development of numerous new plays and helped to establish The Flea as a leading venue for cutting-edge theater in New York City.
Smith's directing credits at The Flea include the world premiere of Thomas Bradshaw's "Burning," which was named a New York Times Critics' Pick, and the critically acclaimed production of "These Seven Sicknesses," a seven-hour adaptation of all of Sophocles' surviving plays. He also directed the world premiere of "Hatef**k" by Rehana Lew Mirza, which was a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
In addition to his work at The Flea, Smith has directed productions at a number of other theaters in New York and beyond. He has worked with companies such as the Public Theater, the New York Theatre Workshop, and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and he has directed plays by playwrights such as Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Suzan-Lori Parks, and Tarell Alvin McCraney.
In addition to his directing work, Smith is also a writer and performance artist. He has created a number of solo shows and performance pieces, including "Neighborhood Watch," which explores issues of race and gentrification in Brooklyn, and "F**king Up Everything," a rock musical that he co-wrote and directed.
Outside of the theater world, Smith has also worked in film and television. He served as a writer and director on the HBO series "Room 104," and he has directed music videos for artists such as Janelle Monáe and Hercules and Love Affair.
Most recently, Smith directed the world premiere of "Anatomy of a Suicide" by Alice Birch at Atlantic Theater Company. The play, which explores three generations of women struggling with mental illness, was praised by critics for its innovative structure and emotional depth.