LEADERSHIP

  • Artistic Producer, Paprika Festival (2017-19)

    • Increased Paprika’s operating budget by 45%

    • Co-launched Paprika’s Indigenous Arts Program

    • 1 year strategic planning process, created The Paprika Manifesto

    • Toronto Arts Foundation’s Arts for Youth Award Finalist

  • Artistic Producer, Binocular Theatre (2015-2022)

  • Program Director, The Toronto Fringe’s TENT (Theatre Entrepreneurs’ Network and Training) Program (2021)

  • The Musical Stage Company’s RBC Apprentice Director & Awardee of the Kathleen C. Freeman Leadership Fund (2019-20)

  • Juries and committees:

    • Playwrights Guild of Canada Robert Beardsley Award (Jury Chair)

    • Theatre Passe Muraille’s Artistic Director Hiring Committee

    • The Musical Stage Company’s Syd & Shirley Banks Prize

TEACHING, FACILITATION, & SPEAKING

Ali has been an instructor at Mount Allison University, Brock University, George Brown College, Sheridan College, and Randolph College.

She has created and facilitated workshops for organizations across Canada.

  • The Canadian Association of Theatre Researchers – Unpacking the Heavy Backpack: Mental health insights for precarious scholars and artists

  • Theatre Passe Muraille’s Patron Services Staff – How May I Help You?: Mental health insights for patron services

  • Hart House Theatre – Auditions: The Other Side of the Table

  • Suitcase in Point – Writing and Artistic Life: A choose your own adventure

  • Studio 180 Theatre – In Class Program (student talkbacks after Ali’s play Dad and playwriting workshops)

Ali is a frequent speaker and consultant about the intersections of theatre and mental health.

  • Next Gen Men and Studio 180 Theatre – Be a Man: On reinventing masculinity (panel co-creator and panelist)

  • The Canadian Stage Company – Directing in the Deep End (panel curator and facilitator)

  • 24th Festival of Original Theatre Conference at the University of Toronto – Theatremakers’ Roundtable (panelist)

  • Mental health consultant for Shakespeare by the Sea’s 2022 Hamlet

DRAMATURGY

  • While We Wait by Lily Falk, Franziska Glen, and Laura Stinson (Gale Force Theatre)

  • Honey Harbour by Lily Falk (Gale Force Theatre)

  • All We Can Do Is Trust by Kelsi James (Sound Off: A Deaf Theatre Festival)

  • Every Body Dies in December and I Don’t Feel Pretty/Chu pas cute by Nancy Kenny

  • University of Toronto Mississauga’s Drama Society – Artist Mentor/Dramaturg

  • Theatre Oculus’ Creation Residency – Artist Mentor/Dramaturg

  • Diva Day International Flow Fest – Artist Mentor/Dramaturg