ZADIA IFE, is a producer, director, writer, actress and educator. She is a graduate of Mason Gross School of Performing Arts at Rutgers University where she studied with Avery Brooks and Glenda Dickerson. Graduate studies were undertaken at Cornel in African American Studies where she studied with Henry Louis Gates and Yosef ben Johanan. After leaving Cornel she took her doctoral courses also in African American Studies at Temple University with Molefi and Kariamu Asante. She has taught courses in theater, English and African American Studies at Temple, Lehigh University, Ramapo College, Freedom Theater, The Christina Cultural Arts Center and the University of Delaware.

During her career she has been fortunate to work with Kellita Smith, Chaka Kahn, Iaasac Hayes, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Sherry Shepherd, Valerie Pettiford, Mel Jackson, Leon, Monica Calhoun, Miguel Nunez, Donn Swaby, Aloma Wright, Arnez J., a host of extraordinary musicians and countless unknown stars in the making who have yet to make their mark in the field of entertainment.

• Zadia and Friends Photo Gallery

Zadia’s theatrical training as a writer and actress began as a child in her hometown church in Asbury Park, New Jersey. After gaining citywide recognition for her work as a young teen she went on to formerly study the craft in college. While at Rutgers she joined the Ensemble Theater Company that went on to gain an Actors Equity status after graduation. Zadia served as the company’s playwright in residence. While there the company performed her period piece entitled, “Shades of Black”, a play that looked at the events of one family in Memphis on the evening of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination.

Zadia continued to hone her skills while attending graduate and post-graduate schools. At this point though she began to focus more on writing and directing. After leaving Temple she was invited to join the staff of The Christina Cultural Arts Center, a community school of the arts in Wilmington Delaware. There she found a way to mix art with social services and developed IYABO, a culturally influenced arts based parenting education program. IYABO was funded in part by the National Endowment of the Arts, The Delaware Division of the Arts, the local social service agency and several private corporations. The program was housed at four high schools, two alternative schools, the Delores J, Baylor Womens’s Correctional Institute and the Home Life Management Center, a transitional shelter for homeless families. Her work at the shelter led to her creation of the musical, “Redemption Song”, a musical extravaganza that dealt with the lives of the residents. During the production she was fortunate to work with noted arranger and composer, Larry Kirschner. The production received a commendation from the governor.

While at the arts center Zadia also developed and chaired their theater program and was able to continue honing her skills while at the same time adding the title of producer to her resume. She created New Voices Ensemble, a teen and young adult performance ensemble that performed throughout the tri-state area. All of the plays that the ensemble performed dealt with issues that were germane to young people. A highlight of the company was their performance of Zadia’s play, “Stompin’ At The Savoy”, a musical about a night at the famed Savoy Ballroom during the Harlem Renaissance. The play was performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. For the center’s 50th anniversary Zadia penned the piece entitled, “Jubilation”, a musical that told the five decade old history of the cultural arts center. Another milestone in Zadia’s career came when she created the “Juffare Village”, the ancestral home of Kunta Kinte, the legendary protagonist in Alex Haley’s “Roots”. The village was a part of an annual outdoor African Festival held in Wilmington, Delaware and was complete with African dancers, singers, wrestlers, stilt-walkers, traditional rituals and a re-enactment of the slave trade and subsequent freedom. Also during this time she was contacted by the New Jersey Performing Arts Center to write study guides for a majority of the African American themed shows that were showcased at the center.

After relocating to Los Angeles, she directed Shay Youngblood’s, “Shakin’ The Mess Outta’ Misery,” which received the LA Weekly Pick of the Week. This was followed by productions of William Hanley’s,” Slow Dance on the Killing Ground,” Robert Alexander’s, “I Ain’t Your Uncle,” the 2001 NAACP Theater Awards (hosted by Wendy Raquel Robinson and Glen Turman), the World Literacy Crusade’s 10th Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (hosted by Iaasac Hayes and Chaka Kahn) and David’s Austin’s, “Has Anyone Seen My Rainbow” at Stage 52 Playhouse; for which she was nominated for an NAACP Theater Award in 2003.

Other credits include serving as post- production coordinator for the urban drama entitled, “El Padrino.” Recently, Zadia produced and co-wrote “Diaries of God’s Perfect Nectar: Stories of Breast Cancer Survivors” for Executive Producers, Kellita Smith and the Women of Essence (a breast cancer survivor support group) and directed the 3rd Annual Gospel Insider Awards Show at the Globe Theater at Universal Studios. In addition, she served as Production Stage Manager for the stage play, “Section Eight” as well as Associate Producer for the direct to video version of the play. Most recently Zadia served as Production Stage Manager for the national tour of I’m Ready Productions’ stage play, “ Friends and Lovers”. She is also in production for her first feature; a 55 minute animation entitled, “A Soul City Christmas”, which is produced by Ventura Distribution and slated for release in December of this year.

Zadia gives all praise to God for her accomplishments as well as for those yet to come.

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