Posted on

Ali Stroker to Sing National Anthem at Summer Paralympics Closing Ceremony in Paris!

unnamed 11

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, this Sunday, September 8th, don’t miss Ridgewood’s own Tony Award-winning singer and actress, Ali Stroker, as she performs the U.S. national anthem during the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympics Closing Ceremony! Set your DVRs, because this is one performance you’ll want to see live!

Continue reading Ali Stroker to Sing National Anthem at Summer Paralympics Closing Ceremony in Paris!

Posted on

Today Stacy Davidowitz & Ali Stroker – Tony Award Winner & NYT Best Selling Author Appearing at Bookends in Ridgewood

420067533 764255965730403 2687284148885180912 n

the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, today Stacy Davidowitz & RHS alumni Ali Stroker . The  Tony Award Winner & NYT Best Selling Author duo will be appearing at Bookends in Ridgewood for a  Meet/Greet/Photo-Op/Book Signing  SUNDAY, JANUARY 21ST AT 3:00PM.

Continue reading Today Stacy Davidowitz & Ali Stroker – Tony Award Winner & NYT Best Selling Author Appearing at Bookends in Ridgewood

Posted on

Ridgewood High School and Glee Alumni Ali Stroker and Husband David Perlow Welcomed their First Child

photo output 7 e1658116470428 600x449 1

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the New York Post is reporting that Ridgewood High School and Glee Alumni Ali Stroker and husband David Perlow welcomed their first child.

Continue reading Ridgewood High School and Glee Alumni Ali Stroker and Husband David Perlow Welcomed their First Child

Posted on

Tony Award Winner Ridgewood High School Alumni Ali Stroker is Having a Baby

Ali+Stroker

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood native and RHS graduate Ali Stroker, the Tony Award winning actor , celebrated the first anniversary of her marriage to David Perlow’s on Saturday and announced that they are expecting the arrival of their first baby in just a few months.

Continue reading Tony Award Winner Ridgewood High School Alumni Ali Stroker is Having a Baby

Posted on

The Ridgewood Arts Council Artist Talk with Ali Stroker and Laurie Sales

external content.duckduckgo 46 e1619176860293

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, If you didn’t get a chance to watch the Artist Talk with Ali Stroker, here is a video of the event! This was a truly magical evening as Ali was interviewed by Laurie Sales, former theater director at RHS and a mentor to Ali from back when. The stories they share are true gems and it’s a must-watch for anyone who loves theater either here in Ridgewood or beyond. Enjoy!

https://fb.watch/52pgdtesjw/

Dana Glazer explained ,”Ali Stroker shared some truly amazing stories about her time at RHS at our latest Artist Talk earlier this week. You will be inspired and touched. Check out the video below and then join our mailing list for more art events! RidgewoodArtCouncilEvents@gmail.com”
Posted on

Ali Stroker Wins Tony !

ali

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood native Ali Stroker made history Sunday night as the first actor in a wheelchair to capture a Tony Award. She earned the trophy for her portrayal of Ado Annie in Daniel Fish’s dark revisionist revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic “Oklahoma!

The 31-year-old Stroker, who was the first person in a wheelchair to appear on Broadway back in 2015 in “Spring Awakening,” was paralyzed from the chest down due to a car crash when she was 2.

Stroker said when she sings, she has “no limitations.”

Posted on

Ridgewood’s Ali Stroker Honored at NYU Alumni Association Awards Luncheon on April 21

ali

Martin Lipton, John Patrick Shanley, also to be Honored at Luncheon 

April 12,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

New York NY, New York University President Andrew Hamilton and the NYU Alumni Association (NYUAA) will honor three exceptional members of the NYU community at its annual Awards Luncheon on Friday, April 21 at Gotham Hall in New York City.
Honorees include attorney Martin Lipton (LAW ‘55), Academy Award winner John Patrick Shanley (STEINHARDT ’77, HON ’09), and actress Ali Stroker (TSOA ’09).

“These honorees are visionaries in their fields, leaders in their communities, and tremendous representatives of the University. We are extremely proud of all they have accomplished,” said Heather Cannady (CAS ’04), president, NYUAA.

“I am so excited and honored to be receiving the Alumni Award from NYU,” said Stroker. “This award represents determination and hard work and I am thrilled to be honored along side John Patrick Shanley, a playwright who I respect and admire so much.”

Each year, the NYUAA invites alumni to celebrate distinguished members of the University who demonstrate extraordinary achievement and service to their professional, vocational, social, and cultural endeavors. This year, the NYUAA is pleased to honor the following alumni for their outstanding contributions to their respective fields and society:

Martin Lipton (LAW ‘55) is a founding partner of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and specializes in advising major corporations on mergers and acquisitions and matters affecting corporate policy and strategy. Throughout his illustrious career, Lipton has been instrumental in the continued growth of NYU and has used his talents to navigate New York City through a financial crisis, act as special counsel to the Department of Energy, help initiate NYU Law School’s faculty research program, and contribute to leading law journals. He served as chairman of the NYU School of Law Board of Trustees from 1988 to1998, and as chairman of the NYU Board of Trustees from 1998–2015. Lipton will receive the Eugene J. Keogh Award for Distinguished Public Service.

John Patrick Shanley (STEINHARDT ’77, HON ’09) graduated as valedictorian with a degree in educational theatre. Shanley is a Pulitzer Prize-, Academy Award-, and Tony Award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and theatre and film director. He has 23 plays and nine films to his credit, including his award-winning play Doubt: A Parable and its film adaptation and Academy Award-winning film, Moonstruck. His theatrical work is performed extensively across the United States and around the world. Shanley will receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Ali Stroker (TSOA ‘09) was the first actress in a wheelchair to graduate from the NYU Tisch drama department. A groundbreaking performer, she made history as the first actress in a wheelchair to appear on a Broadway stage, as the role of Anna in Deaf West’s 2015 revival of Spring Awakening. She will be appearing in the upcoming ABC drama Ten Days in the Valley, which premieres in a few months. A humanitarian and advocate, Stroker is a co-chair of Women Who Care, which supports United Cerebral Palsy of NYC; and is a founding member of Be More Heroic, an anti-bullying campaign. Stroker will receive the Distinguished Young Alumna Award.

The Awards Luncheon will take place on Friday, April 21, 2017, from 12:00p.m. – 2:00p.m. at Gotham Hall in New York City. For more information or to register for this event, visit nyualumni.com/awards.

Posted on

Ridgewood’s Ali Stroker Live-Streams Intimate Concert for Charity Tonight!

ali stroker

November 16,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Spring Awakening actress Ali Stroker, who was also seen on the television series Glee , headlines an intimate concert November 16 to benefit Life Rolls On, which provides free epic sports events for people with disabilities.

The 8 PM concert is streamed on SalonsForChange.com

The invitation-only concert accepts donations of any amount, and all money raised will support Life Rolls On. In the Salons for Change series, concerts are staged in private homes or intimate spaces. For more information on this and future events, email info@salonsforchange.com.

Posted on

Ali Stroker will be hosting a series of special theater workshops for teenage performers in Ridgewood on August 26th and 27th

Ali Stroker Theater Workshop

August 23,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the incredibly talented & inspirational Ali Stroker, a Ridgewood native who has appeared on Broadway & TV. Ali made her Broadway debut in the Tony Award-nominated Spring Awakening revival last year where she became the first-ever performer in a wheelchair to perform in a Broadway show .Ali also appeared on FOX’s Glee and as a finalist on The Glee Project.

Ali Stroker is hosting a series of special theater workshops for teenage performers in Ridgewood on August 26th and 27th with a few other Broadway & TV actors .

Ali Stroker’s been up to a lot this summer including being a keynote speaker in Boston at the American Alliance for Theatre and Education in addition to traveling across the country speaking at hospitals and other rehabilitation centers. Last month she was also a guest camp leader at an incredible camp for special needs kids called Camp Tatiyee in Arizona & earlier this summer did a reading of a new musical, Other World.

Posted on

Broadway actress Ridgewood’s Ali Stroker shines a light on Camp Tatiyee

ali stroker

(3TV) -The lights of Broadway are shining brightly on a free camp for kids in Arizona. For ten weeks each summer in Pine-Top Lakeside, there’s a camp for special needs kids called Camp Tatiyee. This summer, they received a surprise guest, all the way from the Big Apple.

“Spring Awakening” was one of the hottest shows on Broadway. The musical revival opened in New York last year and earned eight Tony Awards. One of its stand-out stars is 29-year-old Ali Stroker. And after spending just a few moments with her, she’ll have you believing anything is possible. “First of all, if there is a will, there is a way,” Ali shared with us right away.

Ali’s smashing all obstacles and making history, as the first actor in a wheelchair on Broadway. This accomplishment, Stroker says, brings her great joy, and a sense of pride to be an advocate for her community.

https://www.azfamily.com/story/32500396/broadway-actress-shines-a-light-on-camp-tatiyee

Posted on

Ali Stroker Makes History as the First Performer in a Wheelchair in a Broadway Show

Ali+Stroker

MAY 31, 2016 – 9:14 AM

Ali Stroker says that her life took a radical turn the summer she was 7. Her next-door neighbor decided to direct a backyard production of Annie and cast Stroker as Annie. “It was a really special summer. I remember my life beginning,” says Stroker. From the time she was 2, a car accident left her paralyzed from the chest down. “I felt like my identity was around my wheelchair for so long” she says. “Once I started performing I was someone else. I could be an actress and singer and not just a girl in a wheelchair.”

From that Annie production, Stroker was hooked. Playing different roles, becoming a variety of people was healing. Performing bolstered her confidence. “It served different purposes not only in my career, but also helped me become the person that I am today,” she says. She also took voice lessons finding singing to be totally liberating. “Being paralyzed my body doesn’t necessarily always do what I want it to do,” Stroker explains. “But with my voice there are no limitations. It’s not held back by anything.”

https://parade.com/480945/jerylbrunner/ali-stroker-makes-history-as-the-first-performer-in-a-wheelchair-in-a-broadway-show/

Posted on

Ridgewood’s Ali Stroker Makes History as the First Performer in a Wheelchair in a Broadway Show

Ali+Stroker

MAY 31, 2016 – 9:14 AM

Ali Stroker says that her life took a radical turn the summer she was 7. Her next-door neighbor decided to direct a backyard production of Annie and cast Stroker as Annie. “It was a really special summer. I remember my life beginning,” says Stroker. From the time she was 2, a car accident left her paralyzed from the chest down. “I felt like my identity was around my wheelchair for so long” she says. “Once I started performing I was someone else. I could be an actress and singer and not just a girl in a wheelchair.”

From that Annie production, Stroker was hooked. Playing different roles, becoming a variety of people was healing. Performing bolstered her confidence. “It served different purposes not only in my career, but also helped me become the person that I am today,” she says. She also took voice lessons finding singing to be totally liberating. “Being paralyzed my body doesn’t necessarily always do what I want it to do,” Stroker explains. “But with my voice there are no limitations. It’s not held back by anything.”

When she was 11, she was cast in a professional singing group, the Kids for Kids Project, and toured the country talking about inclusion and raising awareness for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. “I was working with other professional kids, and it made me really realize that I wanted to do this as a career,” says Stroker.

https://parade.com/480945/jerylbrunner/ali-stroker-makes-history-as-the-first-performer-in-a-wheelchair-in-a-broadway-show/

Posted on

Broadway ‘trailblazer’ Ridgewood’s Ali Stroker to lead master class on Yale campus

ali stroker

April 21, 2016

“An Open Conversation and Master Class with Ali Stroker, Broadway Trailblazer” will be presented on Friday, April 29 by the Shen Curriculum for Musical Theater at Yale, in partnership with the Provost Committee on Resources for Students and Employees with Disabilities.

The event, which is part of the Fridays @ Five series, will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Ballroom at 220 York St. It is free and open to the public.

The class will include a conversation and Q&A with Stroker, after which she will give a short performance and lead a master class with Yale performers.

Stroker recently appeared in the acclaimed revival of “Spring Awakening” on Broadway. When she was cast in the Deaf West Theater’s production, she became the first actress in a wheelchair to appear in a Broadway show. Stroker has been paralyzed from the chest down since the age of 2 when she was injured in an automobile accident. Alterations to the Brooks Atkinson Theatre were made so that Stroker could use the backstage areas of the theater. On stage, the actress used a specially constructed “period” wheel chair to fit in with the late 19th-century setting of the show. Stroker participated fully in the show’s elaborate choreography, using her chair to dart around the stage and substituting “wheelies” for some of the leaps called for in the dances.

https://news.yale.edu/2016/04/21/broadway-trailblazer-lead-master-class-campus

Posted on

SPRING AWAKENING’s Ali Stroker On Turning Obstacles Into Opportunities

Ali_Stroker_theridgewoodblog

October 8
12:21 AM2015
by Michael Dale

SPRING AWAKENING’s Ali Stroker caught the acting bug at age seven, five years after being paralyzed from the chest down in a car accident.

“I was a little girl in a wheelchair. And then when I started to perform, I felt like I was now an actress and a singer. And it gave me another identity. And it made me feel really good.”

Stroker talks with CBS Evening News about her road to Broadway.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/VIDEO-SPRING-AWAKENINGs-Ali-Stroker-On-Turning-Obstacles-Into-Opportunities-20151008#

Posted on

Ridgewood Actress who uses a wheelchair a likely first for Broadway

Ali+Stroker

By Laura Herzog | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

RIDGEWOOD — 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.

“I have dreamt of this since I was 7 years old (and saw “Beauty and the Beast”). I have wanted to be on Broadway my whole life,” said Stoker, who now lives in New York. “A lot of the Broadway theaters are not (wheelchair) accessible back stage. There were many sorts of obstacles I feel like, but obviously, when I got this opportunity, it felt like everything aligned in the most perfect way.”

https://www.nj.com/bergen/index.ssf/2015/09/actress_from_nj_may_be_broadways_1st_using_a_wheel.html