ZUHAIRAH

Originally hailing from Brooklyn, NY and former student of NYU, Zuhairah currently resides in Philadelphia. She studied under Uta Hagan, Ossie Davis, and H. German Wilson. She is also, the Founder/Producing Artistic Director of First World Theatre Ensemble and has produced 13 plays of which five were world premieres and the Philadelphia premiere of an all Black cast of Marsha Norman's 'Night, Mother. Her directing credits include: "Wade In The Water", "The Cooling Board", "Survival Strategies: A Tale of Faith", "For Colored Girls", "La-International”, and "The Women" just to name a few. She has also appeared in several off-Broadway shows, some of which includes: "Sister Sonja", "Sisters Under The Rainbow", "Julius Caesar Set in Africa" , "The Typing Pool" and appeared in the national tour of "For Colored Girls" and "Our Young Black Men Are Dying and Nobody Seems To Care". Zuhairah's Philadelphia credits include: "Mojo and the Sayso" , "Blues for an Alabama Sky", "First Breeze of Summer", "Hats on the Vine", "Black Girl", "Venice", "Ceremonies in Dark Old Men", "Before It Hits Home", "USHERS", "My Name is Sapphire…..Damn It!", "The Cooling Board" and received a 2002 Barrymore Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play for her role as Sojourner Truth in "Sojourner." She last performed "Sojourner" October of 2006 Off-Broadway at the historical National Black Theatre in HarlemCurrent Shows Available for booking: "Sojourner” by Richard LaMonte Pierce (also comes with study guide and student performance) - Received 2002 Barrymore Nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Play"FROM ANCIENT TO HIP HOP: Tha Afrikaan Continuum Conceived and Directed by Zuhairah – Experience the rise of Spoken Theatre"The Castration of a Dark Skinn-ded Woman Written by Zuhairah McGill; co-written by Lois Moses"Hats On The Vine by Joseph P. Blake - Gospel drama premiered at the 2003 National Baptist Convention"Survival Strategies by Dr. Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon - winner of 1985 Pew Grant **Also inquiry about other works by First World’s Writers-In-Residence: Richard LaMonte Pierce, Joseph P. Blake, Dr. Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon as well as other great theatre works by playwrights of African Descent - Cheryl West, J.E. Franklin, ...“I truly believe in my heart that the actor is a teacher of beauty and truth, the aim of the actor should not be the part, but the whole, the actor should make you forget the existence of author and director, and even forget the actor.”