Liesl Tommy facts for kids

Liesl Tommy (pronounced LEE-səl) is a talented director from South Africa and America. She is mostly known for her amazing work in theatre. Liesl made history by becoming the first woman of color to be nominated for a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play. This was for her work on the Broadway show Eclipsed in 2017. She also directed an episode of the TV show The Walking Dead called "Chokepoint". In 2021, she directed her first big movie, Respect. This film was about the life of singer Aretha Franklin and starred Jennifer Hudson.

Early Life and Education

Liesl Tommy was born in Cape Town, South Africa. This was during a time called apartheid. Apartheid was a system where people were separated and treated differently because of their race. Her family lived in a place called Factreton township. Her father was a high school teacher who actively worked against the apartheid system.

In 1985, when Liesl was 15, her family moved to the USA. They moved to Boston because the South African government declared a state of emergency. Her father had studied at MIT in the 1970s. Liesl went to Newton North High School in Boston. She found that theatre helped her connect with others and became her main focus.

After high school, Liesl studied acting in London. When she returned to Boston, she worked as a pre-school teacher. She helped families in the Roxbury area of Boston.

Directing Career

Liesl Tommy has directed many plays across the United States. She has worked at famous theatres like Center Stage in Baltimore and Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California.

She is known for giving classic plays a fresh look. Liesl often uses her own life experiences to tell stories in new ways. Her directing style is very physical and powerful. She likes to show the strong emotions and struggles of being human on stage.

Liesl's background as an actor helps her direct. She believes it's important for actors to deeply understand their characters. She also likes to give actors freedom to explore their roles. Liesl once said her job is to take the audience on an unforgettable journey. She wants to make every story as exciting as possible.

Promoting Diversity in Theatre

Liesl Tommy is passionate about making theatre more diverse. She wants to see more people from different backgrounds on stage and behind the scenes. For example, her 2012 production of Hamlet had many African-American actors. This included the main roles of Hamlet and Ophelia.

She has directed plays by important writers like August Wilson's The Piano Lesson in 2011. She also directed Ruined by Lynn Nottage in 2011.

Reimagining Classic Stories

In 2014, Liesl directed a version of Les Misérables at Dallas Theater Center. This production featured a cast of many different races. It explored themes of political protests and social fairness. Liesl had never seen Les Misérables before directing it. However, she read the book as a child. She wanted to tell a story about student uprisings. Growing up in South Africa, she saw many political and social protests. She brought these experiences into her production.

Broadway Success and Film Debut

Liesl believes theatre should be meaningful and change you. Her work shows this belief. One of her most famous productions is Eclipsed. This play was written by Danai Gurira. It tells the story of five Liberian women trying to survive during a war. The play starred Lupita Nyong'o. It was the first Broadway play with an all-female cast, written by a woman, and directed by a woman. Liesl received a Tony Award nomination for directing Eclipsed. This made her the first African-American female director to be nominated for Best Direction of a Play at the Tony Awards.

Liesl has also directed a stage version of the Disney film Frozen at Disneyland. In 2017, she directed a new musical called Kid Victory.

In 2018, Liesl was chosen to direct Born a Crime. This film is based on the book by Trevor Noah. Liesl also directed the 2021 film Respect. This movie was about the life of music legend Aretha Franklin. Jennifer Hudson played Franklin in the film.

Awards and Nominations

• 2014: Obie Award, Winner for Direction of Appropriate
• 2016: Lucille Lortel Award, Winner for Outstanding Director of Eclipsed
• 2016: Tony Award, Nominee for Best Direction of a Play for Eclipsed