Chamgei! Hello! I am Shariffa Ali. My early childhood was shaped by visits to the verdant landscapes of Nandi Hills in Kenya, where I was spellbound by the stories woven by my grandmother and village elders in the lyrical cadence of Kalenjin. Though I could not fully understand the language, the expressive gestures, communal presence, and flickering firelight ignited my earliest love for storytelling, planting a seed that would grow into a lifelong passion for theatre and performance.

In May 2013, I embarked on what was meant to be a brief journey from my home in South Africa to Pittsburgh, where I had been commissioned as a guest director at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture. I could not have anticipated that this visit would lead me to New York City, whose kaleidoscopic energy and creative dynamism captured my imagination and ultimately inspired me to make it my home.

Since settling in New York, I have had the privilege of contributing to the city’s vibrant arts ecosystem, working with institutions such as The Public Theater and The New Group. I currently serve on the faculty of the Theater Program at Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts, where I share my passion for theatre-making with students eager to explore the expansive possibilities of creative practice. I also serve as the Creative and Storytelling Expert for the United Nations Development Programme’s timbuktoo initiative, a bold and forward-looking effort designed to catalyze Africa’s startup and innovation economy.

My artistic practice moves fluidly across disciplines, spanning live art, independent film, network television, and emerging XR and VR experiences. My work has been developed and presented at venues including the Sundance Film Festival, the Royal National Theatre, The Juilliard School, and The Public Theater, among others. Highlights of my theatre directing career include productions at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Pittsburgh Public Theater, and St. Louis Repertory Theater, as well as Off-Broadway premieres at Classic Stage Company and WP Theater.

Grounded in a commitment to collaboration and expansive creative dialogue, my work has brought me into partnership with visual artists, refugees, dancers, and a wide range of communities whose perspectives enrich and challenge my artistic practice. I have also had the privilege of serving on multiple juries, boards, and selection committees dedicated to uplifting the work of dynamic emerging artists and practitioners.

As an interdisciplinary director and creative producer, I see my role as cultivating creative leadership and building the conditions in which artists and collaborators can take bold imaginative risks. My work at the intersection of humanitarianism and performance reflects a deep belief in the transformative power of storytelling and the possibilities that emerge when artistic practice meets social vision.

At heart, I remain a listener by the firelight, still captivated by the stories that bring us together. I invite you to join me in continuing to imagine, create, and share the stories that shape our collective future.