STAFF
Sarah
Norat-Phillips
INTERIM ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
sarah@ujimacoinc.org
After 30 years as an Emmy award winning broadcast television executive in Buffalo and Detroit, Sarah Norat-Phillips is grateful to return to her theatrical roots. A trained singer, actress, director and producer, Sarah has over 40 years of work in professional theater.
A founding member of Ujima in 1978, Sarah recently returned to the company after the passing of its visionary Artistic Director, Lorna C. Hill. Sarah has extensive experience on the Buffalo stage and has performed in dozens of Ujima shows including their original productions, “...And Bid Him Sing”,”Yalla Bitch”,”Opportunity Please Knock!” and “El Hajj Malik”.
A multiple Buffalo ARTIE Award nominee and winner, Sarah is also an exceptional director having helmed many successful Ujma productions including August Wilson’s, “Two Trains Running”, Athol Fugard’s “The Island”, Charles Fuller’s “A Soldier’s Play” and most recently George C. Wolfe’s “SPUNK”, based on the short stories of Zora Neale Hurston.
Brian
Brown
MANAGING DIRECTOR
brian@ujimacoinc.org
Brian Brown is the Managing Director of Ujima Company. He has been a part of the Ujima family for 15 years, initially as a stage hand and has grown to take on the roles of stage manager, assistant director, marketing, and newly trained (under Margaret Smith) managing director. He is a graduate of SUNY Fredonia where he received a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in Music Business. It was during his time as a student at Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Perf. Arts (BAVPA) training under Lorna C. Hill, that he found his purpose and passion for performance and Theatre. As an actor/singer, Brian has starred in the past Ujima productions of "Spunk", "Passing Strange", "El Hajj Malik" and social justice favorite "Free Fred Brown!". Since the passing of our founder, Brian has been committed to the continuation of Lorna's legacy and the vision of artistic excellence, love, and justice for the beloved community.
Gabriella Mckinley
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
gabriella@ujimacoinc.org
Gabriella J. McKinley graduated from Buffalo State University with a Bachelors of Arts in Theater with a concentration in performance and administration. She graduated summa cum laude and was awarded the President's Medal for Outstanding Undergraduate Student and the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Theater. Post-graduation, Gabriella has worked with Buffalo State’s Anne Frank Project as the Student Engagement Coordinator and Teaching Artist developing programming, teaching students, and training teachers in story-based learning. Gabriella served as the Education and Community Outreach Coordinator for Shakespeare in Delaware Park creating programming and teaching classes that engaged people from all walks of life.
Gabriella is an actor, singer and dancer committed to telling meaningful stories that uplift stifled voices. She is committed to social justice and working with underserved populations, including previously incarcerated persons, and hopes to develop justice-based programming in service of these groups.
Bob Ball
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR/MASTER CARPENTER
Bob Ball graduated in 1971 with a BFA in Theatre Arts in directing from Rosary Hill College. Worked at the African American Cultural Center in 1970-21. Danced with Eclectic Arts. Danced with Floorplay Company in his 30's. Married in 1973, father to three beautiful children. When they were old enough he needed to do something purposeful in theatre again. He saw the first production of In De Beginnin at Ujima and he found a home. He mostly did technical work and set building for the theatre along with whatever was needed on or off of the stage by the Artistic Director. His most beloved productions are In De Beginnin, And Bid Him Sing, and Spunk.
Karen Saxon
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Karen Saxon was born and raised in Buffalo, NY. She is a graduate of Buffalo State College (B.A. in Vocal Performance) and of the University of Scranton (Master of Science in Educational Administration). Karen is an accomplished pianist, professional vocalist, and expert choral conductor.
Karen also was the student of Donald L. Hilliard and Alfred R. Jarrett (both former Supervisors of Music in the Buffalo Public Schools). Karen draws her inspiration from an absolute place of peace provided by vigorous, complete training and a desire to be fearless in musical interpretation. Karen plans to further her musical/artistic pursuits by teaching at the Ujima Theater’s Dunbar Project. She is committed to aiding young students in the discovery and release of their creative talents. Additionally, she continues to explore her own artistry by serving as Ujima’s Music Director.
She also will continue to enrich the community by maintaining as the Music Coordinator for the Baptist Ministers Conference of Buffalo and Vicinity, Minister of Music at the First Shiloh Baptist Church, Director of Music for the Empire Baptist Missionary Convention, and independently contracted artist for both vocal/land instrumental projects as needed.
Naila Ansari
DANCE DIRECTOR
A native of Buffalo, New York, Naila Ansari is an award-winning choreographer, director, and performing artist. Naila is the Dance Director and company member of Ujima Company, Inc., a distinguished MFA graduate from the University at Buffalo in Dance and a Cum Laude undergraduate of Point Park's Conservatory of Performing Arts Program. Naila is an original and former principal dancer for the August Wilson Center Dance Ensemble. She has danced and performed works for the legendary Lula Washington Dance Theatre and has had the privilege of dancing works by Robert Battle, Kyle Abraham, Camille A. Brown, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Sidra Bell, and Trebien Pollard, to name a few.
As an Assistant Professor in Theatre and Africana Studies at SUNY Buffalo State College, Naila has merged artistry and scholarship to build and create works through community and collaborative processes that facilitate conversations on race and Black Performance. As an activist and artist, she was the Art Director for MacArthur Fellow Rami Nashashibi and musician Drea D'Nur music video "MAMA PLEASE" serving as a national call to action dedicated to Cariol Holloman-Horne and intended to help pass Cariol’s Law in NY and throughout the US.
Her most recent project and a forthcoming digital series and book, The Movement of Joy, focuses on the performance of joy of Black women through the creative archiving of oral histories, movement histories, live-performance, and film.