Ishmail Wilson is an American theatre director, producer, dramaturge and activist. Some of his directing credits include tribute: Athol Fugard, Tribute: August Wilson and "F**king A," written by Pulitzer Prize-winning Playwright Susan Lori-Parks. He gained popularity by founding UACT (United Artists of Color Theatre), a group that emphasized plays of color and casting students of color at a nationally-recognized school for Theatre (Marymount Manhattan College). His activism has been well-documented, particularly during the COVID-era, on a response team working for the homeless to attain affordable housing. He is also currently a Team Housing Specialist with the Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment (CASES) in the NY metropolitan area.
Tune in, as we chat up outing people professionally vs personally, the impact COVID had in NYC's job and housing situation, how politics has hijacked the narrative, his talented graduating class who are working in film, commercials and Tony-nominated theatre performers, what put together the Susan Lori Parks play, how that play affected the types of work and theatre the actors wanted to do moving forward, being an artist vs doing your job, Praising and outing theatre professors at our old school, what defunding the police REALLY means to him, the diversity of volleyball guests and what they want to talk about, and MORE!
