Ali Stroker

Ali Stroker
Born (1987-06-16) June 16, 1987
Ridgewood, New Jersey, U.S.
Alma mater New York University
Occupation Actress
Years active 2011–present

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. Stroker was part of The Glee Project, and won a guest starring role on Glee in 2013. She played the role of Anna in Deaf West's 2015 revival of Spring Awakening.[1]

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. She attended Ridgewood High School, where she was senior class president and starred in school musicals.[2]

At the age of two Stroker was in a car accident that left her paralyzed from the chest down due to a spinal cord injury and unable to walk thus she uses a wheelchair. At the age of 7 she saw her first Broadway show and realized at that moment that was what she wanted to do, 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.[3]

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.[4]

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.[5]

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.[6]

In 2011, Stroker made an appearance in the short, I Was a Mermaid and Now I'm a Pop Star.[7] 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, Ms. Pilsbury's niece 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 originated the role of Anna in Deaf West's 2015 revival of Spring Awakening.[8]

In 2017, Stroker was cast as Tamara in the upcoming ABC show Ten Days in the Valley.[9]

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.

Personal life

Stroker identifies as bisexual[10] and previously dated fellow The Glee Project contestant Dani Shay.[11]

Credits

Television

Year Title Role Notes
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 Wendy 3 episodes
2017 Ten Days in the Valley Tamara
2018 Drunk History Judith Heumann Episode: "Civil Rights"

Theatre

Year Title Role Location Category
2011 The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Olive Ostrovsky Paper Mill Playhouse Regional Theatre
2015 Spring Awakening Anna Wallis Annenberg Center Regional Theatre – Deaf West Theatre
2015–2016 Brooks Atkinson Theatre Broadway – Deaf West Theatre Transfer

References

  1. ↑ "'This is How I Roll… Literally' — Ali Stroker On Auditioning the Same Way She Dates and Making Broadway History | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
  2. ↑ Herzog, Laura. "Actress who uses a wheelchair a likely first for Broadway", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, September 11, 2015. Accessed October 29, 2017. "Ali Stroker may be the first person who uses a wheelchair to be in a Broadway production, ever.The 28-year-old Ridgewood-raised singer, actress and philanthropist says 'it's the ultimate dream come true' to star in a special production of Spring Awakening --a musical, by Deaf West Theatre, that is also performed in American Sign Language.... Stroker, who was president of Ridgewood High School president during her senior year, also starred in several high school productions including as Maria in West Side Story, and Cosette in Les Miz."
  3. ↑ "The Courage to be Different: Ali Stroker a Burgeoning Star". Ridgewood-Glen Rock, NJ Patch. 2011-03-27. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
  4. ↑ Brunner, Jeryl. "Ali Stroker Makes History as the First Performer in a Wheelchair in a Broadway Show". Parade. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
  5. ↑ Desk, BWW News. "Ali Stroker to 'Burn Old Dresses' in Concert at The Green Room 42". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2017-09-01.
  6. ↑ Gates, Anita (2011-01-28). "'Putnam County Spelling Bee' at Paper Mill - Review". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-09-01.
  7. ↑ "Ali Stroker-American Singer and Actress". Amherst College. 2016-10-17. Retrieved 2017-09-01.
  8. ↑ 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.
  9. ↑ "Bergen's Ali Stroker Cast In ABC's 'Ten Days In The Valley'". Wyckoff, NJ Patch. 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2017-09-01.
  10. ↑ "History-Making Broadway Star Opens Up About Being Bisexual". HuffPost Canada. 2015-10-20. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
  11. ↑ "Ali Stroker Talks Girlfriend Dani Shay, 'Glee Project': Exclusive Interview". LOGO News. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
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