Dael Orlandersmith

Pre-Existing Condition

September 21, 2026

Before 2017 and the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies were allowed to discriminate against domestic violence survivors (including rape) as having a pre-existing condition. First time playwright Marin Ireland takes "Pre-Existing Condition" as the title for her stark and powerful play about the aftermath of domestic abuse, reputedly based on her own personal experiences documented elsewhere. The play which appeared at the Connelly Theatre during the summer of 2024 is now playing at the Greenwich House Theatre with a rotating cast of stars in the leading role and the other characters again played by Dael Orlandersmith, Sarah Steele and Greg Keller. [more]

Spiritus/Virgil’s Dance

February 20, 2024

It is a rare author indeed that can take uncomfortable material, and by uncomfortable that is, to hear, digest, and process a subject no one likes as a subject of conversation, and then give an audience the opportunity to take away from the experience a profound enlightenment. But when that author is Dael Orlandersmith we have come to expect nothing else. The playwright’s new work, "Spiritus/Virgil’s Dance," is a contemplative meditation on mortality as much as it is an examination of how we choose to pass and live out our days until our own “conclusion.” [more]

Until the Flood

January 19, 2018

Ms. Orlandersmith skillfully organizes the material into short monologues that are revelatory, insightful and often tinged with humor. Visually striking with her animated facial features and flowing dreadlocks, Orlandersmith subtly yet forcefully offers a series of rich characterizations. Varying her vocal inflections and altering her physiognomy she conveys the essence of each individual. It’s a riveting performance of range and depth. [more]

Forever

May 13, 2015

The press performance under review left audiences hanging on her every word, as Orlandersmith painted a picture of the challenging and draining relationship she had with her mother, including the arguments, the name-calling, the shame and her mother’s constant need for security and attention. Well-spoken and tuned into her emotions, Orlandersmith has a true ability to connect with a large room, making them feel every emotion and sensation that she was feeling. She didn’t sugarcoat one detail and her authenticity aided in processing each thought and feeling, and ultimately allowed Orlandersmith to rise above her past. [more]