Who we are: CFT Staff
Nailah Harper-Malveaux
Leader of Artistic Curation & Producing
Nailah Unole didanas’ea Harper-Malveaux (she/her) is a queer multiracial theatre director and generative artist focused on transformative new work that creates space for radical community imagination. She facilitates and curates artistic engagements that center and celebrate the beauty, complexity, resilience, healing, and joy of those living in the margins. Directing highlights include: the West Coast premiere of Edit Annie by Mary Glen Fredrick (co-directed with Leigh Rondon-Davis), the world premiere of Getting There by Dipika Guha, The Light by Loy A. Webb, and numerous A.C.T. MFA productions, including Sunset Baby, Belleville, and Next to Normal. She has worked at Woolly Mammoth, Pasadena Playhouse, Williamstown Theater Festival, Berkeley Rep, Baltimore Center Stage, Z Space, and American Conservatory Theater. She received her B.A. in American Studies and Theatre Studies from Yale University.
She is also passionate about experimenting with and implementing new models of collaboration in order to create a more sustainable and abundant theatre ecology. Through the Artistic Caucus and the HIVE Project, she was an integral part of the construction of two inter-theater, multi-year programs designed to systematically change their respective practices in audience engagement and new work curation. She was a member of the inaugural cohort of the Artistic Caucus, a group of 4 freelance artists designed to initiate curatorial disruption and advocate for new artists at Woolly Mammoth, Baltimore Center Stage, the Rep of St. Louis and Long Wharf. As the Program Manager of the homegrown HIVE Project, she implemented, launched, and shepherded a two-year-long innovative audience development initiative to cross-pollinate 3 Bay Area theaters – Crowded Fire Theater, Gritty City Repertory and Oakland Theater Project.
Former fellowships include the BOLD Rising Directorship at Woolly Mammoth, the Bill Foeller Directing Fellowship at Williamstown, the Bret C. Harte Directing Fellowship at Berkeley Rep and the Community Producing fellowship at A.C.T. She received her B.A. in American Studies and Theatre Studies from Yale University.
To reach Nailah directly, email NailahHM (at) crowdedfire.org
CFT Credits
Artistic Facilitator: Shipping & Handling (2024)
Director: Edit Annie (with Leigh Rondon-Davis, 2023)
Director and Producer: SUBVERiTas: SUBVERTING whiteness as TRUTH/ UNEARTHING the BLACK play (2019)
Assistant Director: Church (2018)
Former CFT Mentee
