Ali Stroker
Ali Stroker (born June 16, 1987) is an American actress and singer. She is the first actress who needs a wheelchair for mobility known to have appeared on a Broadway stage. Ali was part of The Glee Project, and won a guest starring role on Glee in 2013. She is currently playing the role of Anna in Deaf West's 2015 revival of Spring Awakening.[1][2]
Early life
Stroker grew up in Ridgewood, New Jersey with her parents, Jody Schleicher and Jim Stroker, as well as an older brother, Jake, and a younger sister, Tory.
At the age of two Stroker was in a car accident that left her unable to walk due to a spinal cord injury. She is paralyzed from the chest down and is wheelchair bound. At the age of 7 she saw her first Broadway show and realized at that moment that was what she wanted to do. Ever since then she was determined because there were no role models for girls in wheelchairs on Broadway.
Stroker trained with the Summer Musical Theater Conservatory program at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey.
In 2009, Ali became the first actress in a wheelchair to earn a degree from the New York University Tisch Drama Department, with a degree in Fine Arts.
Career
Stroker has had solo performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and New York's Town Hall in addition to concert performances at Lincoln Center in New York City.
Stroker starred in the Paper Mill Playhouse's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. This performance earned Ali a Barrymore Award nomination, and remarkable praise when reprised at the Paper Mill Playhouse.
In 2011, Stroker made an appearance in the short, I Was a Mermaid and Now I'm a Pop Star. Then in 2012, Stroker auditioned for The Glee Project and was cast for the 12 episode series. Ali made it to the final episode and placed second, earning a guest role on Glee. In 2013, Ali played Betty Pillsbury on Glee in Season 4, Episode 14 "I Do".
In 2014, Stroker gained a role in the film Cotton alongside Gary Cole. Later on in 2014 and into 2015, Stroker earned a three episode role playing the character Wendy in MTV's series, Faking It.
In 2015 Stroker made history by becoming the first Broadway actress in a wheelchair to appear on a Broadway stage. She is originating the role of Anna in Deaf West's 2015 revival of Spring Awakening.[3]
Advocacy
Stroker is a Co-Chair of Women Who Care, which supports United Cerebral Palsy of NYC.
She is a founding member of Be More Heroic, an anti-bullying campaign which tours the country connecting with thousands of students each year.
She has gone to South Africa with ARTS InsideOut where she has held theater classes and workshops for women and children affected by HIV and AIDS.
Credits
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Paper Mill Playhouse | Olive Ostrovsky |
| 2011 | I Was a Mermaid and Now I'm a Pop Star | Party Girl |
| 2012 | The Glee Project | Herself |
| 2013 | Glee | Betty Pillsbury |
| 2014 | Cotton | Jeanie |
| 2014/2015 | Faking It (2014 TV series) | Wendy |
| 2015 | Deaf West's 2015 Revival of Spring Awakening Brooks Atkinson Theatre | Anna |
References
- ↑ http://www.playbill.com/news/article/this-is-how-i-roll-literally-ali-stroker-on-auditioning-the-same-way-she-dates-and-making-broadway-history-372809
- ↑ http://www.northjersey.com/arts-and-entertainment/theater/ali-stroker-stars-on-broadway-stage-1.1463616?page=all
- ↑ JOE DZIEMIANOWICZ (September 15, 2015). "'Spring Awakening' actress Ali Stroker makes history as first actor in a wheelchair on Broadway". New York Daily News. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
http://variety.com/2015/legit/news/ali-stroker-spring-awakening-kylie-jenner-1201652879/
http://www.today.com/video/meet-the-first-actress-to-star-on-broadway-in-a-wheelchair-567572035799
http://mashable.com/2015/10/27/ali-stroker-broadway/#WZPzKmhEysqb
http://www.americantheatre.org/2015/10/20/ali-stroker-is-checking-off-her-list-one-dream-at-a-time/