Saheem Ali News

The latest standings as of Monday, December 5th, have been released for the 2022 BroadwayWorld Off-Broadway Awards! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers get to vote for their favorites.

The latest standings as of Monday, December 5th, have been released for the 2022 BroadwayWorld San Francisco Awards! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers get to vote for their favorites.

The 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy Fat Ham by James Ijames will make its Broadway premiere in 2023. The Public’s Associate Artistic Director and Resident Director Saheem Ali returns to direct the complete original Off-Broadway cast, including Nikki Crawford as “Tedra,” Chris Herbie Holland as “Tio,” Billy Eugene Jones as “Rev” and “Pap,” Adrianna Mitchell as “Opal,” Calvin Leon Smith as “Larry,” Marcel Spears as “Juicy,” and Benja Kay Thomas as “Rabby.”

New York Stage and Film has announced that their 2022 Winter Party will be on Monday, December 5 at the Empire Rooftop, 44 West 63rd Street. The festive December event will begin at 6:00 PM with libations and food, followed at 7:00 PM by performances from three new musicals workshopped at NYSAF.

The first live standings have been announced for the 2022 BroadwayWorld San Francisco Awards! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers get to vote for their favorites.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) announced the results of its 2022 Executive Board election at its Annual Membership Meeting on Monday night, November 14. Evan Yionoulis was elected to serve a second term as Executive Board President.

Applications for The Cody Renard Richard Scholarship Program are now open. The program seeks to uplift and support the next generation of Black, Asian, Latinx, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) theatre-makers working behind the scenes.

Sarah Benson and Meropi Peponides, two of Soho Rep's three Directors, will step down at the end of the current season, after 15 and 8 years with the influential Off Broadway theater.

In honor of Veterans Day, Arts in the Armed Forces will present a reading of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning play FAT HAM by James Ijames, directed by Sideeq Heard, featuring original cast members from the successful off-Broadway co-production between The Public Theater and National Black Theatre ​​directed by Saheem Ali.

About Face Theatre will open its 2022-2023 season with the world premiere of Omer Abbas Salem’s new play Mosque4Mosque, directed by Sophiyaa Nayar. Mosque4Mosque will be presented November 17 – December 17, 2022 at The Den Theatre.

Jackalope Theatre Company has announced their return to in-person performances with their 2022/2023 season featuring the Among the Dead by Hansol Jung, directed by Jackalope Artistic Director Kaiser Ahmed*, and the world premiere of Pretty Shahid written by company member Omer Abbas Salem*, and directed by Sophiyaa Nayar.

Stephen Byrd & Alia Jones-Harvey’s Front Row Productions Fellowship, in association with Columbia University School of the Arts, named Lamar Richardson as the 2022 Front Row Productions Fellow.

The world premiere musical Goddess will extend for an additional week at Berkeley Rep. The new musical will now run through Saturday, October 1. Goddess is conceived and directed by Saheem Ali, music and lyrics by Michael Thurber, and written by Jocelyn Bioh.

About Face Theatre has announced plans for its 28th season. Dedicated to advancing LGBTQ+ equity through community building, education, and performance, AFT will present two world-premiere stage productions at The Den Theatre in Wicker Park, as well as educational workshops for in-development projects.

What did our critic think of GODDESS at Berkeley Repertory? The first thing the audience sees is Arnulfo Maldonado's incredible two- story Moorish influenced set representing Moto Moto, the hip Mombasa night spot for music and dance. A jazzy overture gets the audience hyped, then BAM - the World Premiere and much anticipated Goddess ensemble powers into its opening number. The audience nearly blew the roof off the Roda Theatre and the high energy and excitement level never wavered throughout the evening. Sensational it was - brilliant, athletic choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie introducing us to the hip nightclub Moto Moto that will act as the main location of the show.

Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre, celebrating its 55th season, has selected four artists for the SOUL Series LAB (Liberating Artistic Bravery) Residency Programs, which is comprised of three signature programs.

The National Black Theatre has announced the appointment of Kamilah Long as the organization's first Director of Development. Ms. Long is an established director, producer, educator, fundraiser, activist, and speaker.

 Broadway Black presents The 2nd Annual Antonyo Awards, which honors Black theatre artists during the 2021-2022 season. The live, in-person ceremony will be held on Monday, October 10 at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem (253 West 125th Street). Awards in 29 competitive categories and five honorary categories will be presented along with performances and guest appearances. 

The National Black Theatre has announced the full line up for its 55th season - 2022-2023 on the heels of announcing Learn To Love Yourself: Silent Disco and Portrait Series that kicks off programming August 13.

On four consecutive Saturdays, beginning on August 13 - September 3 from 3:00 pm-6:00 pm at The Park Avenue Underpass, NBT will present the Silent Disco/Portrait Series featuring the originally commissioned sonic compositions of five uniquely gifted musical artists.