Actress Saidah Arrika Ekulona will offer remarks to the Albright College class of 2024, at the college’s 164th Commencement ceremony, Santander Arena, Sunday, May 12, 2024.
A graduate of Albright’s class of 1992, Saidah Arrika Ekulona is an award-winning theatre, television and film actress. She has originated roles on Broadway, off-Broadway, in regional theatres 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.
She is currently cast in “Bob Hearts Abishola” and can also be seen as Toni Chapman in “A League of Their Own.” Saidah has been a recurring featured guest star on “Snowfall,” “Better Call Saul,” “Bull,” “Kevin Can Wait,” “Impastor,” and has also guest-starred in “Scandal,” “The Haunting of Hill House,” “Why Women Kill,” “Room 104,” “The 100” and “Shameless,” among others. Ekulona’s film work includes “Life of Chuck,” “Dark Was the Night,” “Honeyglue,” “Christian Mingle,” “The Den,” “The Taking of Pelham 123,” “Righteous Kill” and others.
Theatre credits include Broadway/off-Broadway/regional: “Seize The King” (La Jolla Playhouse); “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.
While attending Albright, Ekulona was a highly active member of the Domino Players, African American Society, Albright Unity and the Women’s Center. She attended the Eugene O’Neill Center’s National Theatre Institute in fall of 1991, and in 1992 received her Albright Bachelor of Arts individualized study degree in theatre, African American studies and women’s studies. In 1995, she earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in acting from the University of Minnesota.
