Actors Workshop with Saidah Arrika Ekulona

Creating A Character's Backstory:The craft of acting requires more than just learning lines, the actor must learn how to create a character with the material they're given. Creating a backstory for a character helps engage the actor's imagination and brings them one step closer to understanding and crafting who the character is. Students in this seminar will learn how to create a character's backstory from a monologue and a scene.

OUR SPEAKER:

Saidah Arrika Ekulona is an award-winning theatre, television and film actress. She's originated roles on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in regional and international theatres, and originated the role of Mama Nadi in the Pulitzer Prize winning play RUINED, for which she won an Obie Award, Lucille Lortel Award, Jeff Award, Audelco Award and the Black Theatre Alliance Award.

Saidah's been a Series Regular role as Ebunoluwa on BOB ❤ ABISHOLA, can also be seen as Toni Chapman in A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. Recurring featured Guest Star roles on BETTER CALL SAUL, SNOWFALL, BULL, KEVIN CAN WAIT, IMPASTOR. Guest Starring roles in THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, WHY WOMEN K*ll, SCANDAL, ROOM 104, THE 100, and SHAMELESS, among others. Saidah's film work includes AMBER ALERT, THE LIFE OF CHUCK, DARK WAS THE NIGHT, HONEYGLUE, CHRISTIAN MINGLE, THE DEN, THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123, RIGHTEOUS K*ll, and others.

Theatre credits include BROADWAY: Well OFF-BROADWAY: An American Daughter (Williamstown Theatre Festival); Othello; Unconditional; Well; The Square; Romeo and Juliet (Public Theatre/NYSF); The Thugs (Soho Rep); Fabulation (Playwrights Horizons); A Streetcar Named Desire (NYTW), The Thugs (Soho Rep) and more.

Saidah received her BA and Honorary Doctorate from Albright College and her MFA in Acting from University of Minnesota.

Host or Publisher The African Artists Association