About
Dale Ricardo Shields (born in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.) is an African American actor, archivist, director, educator and stage manager.
AEA-SAG-AFTRA-AGMA-SSDC - Phi Kappa Phi.
The Kennedy Center/Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award©.
TONY© AWARD nomination for the "EXCELLENCE IN THEATRE EDUCATION AWARD" 2017 and 2015.
Years active (Theatre): 1974 - present
Early life
Dale Ricardo Shields received his B.F.A. and M.F.A. degrees (summa cum laude) from Ohio University. He also completed additional graduate study at Wayne State University (The Hilberry Company). Born in Cleveland, Ohio, his grandfather and father were founding members of the famed Shields Brother Gospel Quartet of Ohio, his mother was a member of the Turner Gospel Singers directed by Arthur Turner. He is the cousin of legendary fight promoter Don King. He attended John F. Kennedy High School where he received an Honor of Merit award from the Exchange Club of Cleveland for service to his community and was inducted into the George E. Mills Gallery of Excellence after graduation. He also co-authored the John F. Kennedy High School Alma Mater. He was inducted into the academic fraternity Phi Kappa Phi upon graduation from Ohio University.
Career – Director
As an associate member of The Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, his directing credits include: A Raisin in the Sun, A Solider's Play, Ragtime, The Amen Corner, Trouble in Mind, Crowns, Jesus is Alive, Fires in The Mirror, Laughter on the Twenty Third Floor, Fame, Driving Miss Daisy Quartermaine's’ Terms, Of Mice and Men, Godspell, Same Time Next Year, A Streetcar Named Desire, Three Ways Home, The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, For Colored Girls Who Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf, Rumors, The Brownsville Raid, Man of La Mancha, Before It Hits Home, The Shirt, Golden Boy and The Me Nobody Knows. He most recently conceived and directed a two-year series of original plays for the Center for Families and Children Rap Arts Youth Fellowship Program. Additional recent directorial assignments include: A Day with Duke for the Tri C Jazz Festival, Crowns at the Weathervane Playhouse and Top Dog/Under Dog at the Beck Center for The Performing Arts. He has directed productions at the Karamu House Theatre, Beck Center for the Performing Arts, Weathervane Summer Playhouse, Weathervane Community Theatre, Columbus Stage Center, The Cleveland School of the Arts, The Cleveland Public Theatre and The Cleveland Playhouse. He also produced and directed Project1voice Cleveland.
Project1VOICE is a not-for-profit performing arts service organization. What began as a grassroots initiative soon developed into a national initiative.
This mission's objective is to strengthen and promote African American theater and playwrights. Each year on the third Monday in June Project1VOICE present 1VOICE/1PLAY/1DAY, a national fundraiser to foster awareness and audience recommitment to their local arts institutions across the Unitied States. Project1voice
He was the assistant director to Lloyd Richards and Ed Smith for the New Federal Theatre premiere production of Ossie Davis’ new play A Last Dance With Sybil staring Ruby Dee and Earl Hyman at the St. Clements Theatre. He was also assistant director to Roger Danforth for the premiere of Jungle Rot at the Cleveland Playhouse.
His extensive professional credits as a Director, Stage manager and Actor (Broadway, Off Broadway, Off Off Broadway and Regional) include various projects and assignments at The Henry Street Settlement House (New Federal Theatre), The Negro Ensemble Company, The Joseph Papp Public Theatre (New York Shakespeare Festival), Upward Bound, The Hilberry Repertory Theatre, George Street Playhouse, Playwrights Horizon, Manhattan Theatre Club, The Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Actors Studio, The Actors Theatre of Louisville, The York Players, South Bronx Action Theatre, The Dobama Theatre and Columbus Stage Center.
He has taught and conducted workshops at Susquehanna University, Denison University, Randolph-Macon College, Macalester College, The College of Wooster, Ohio University and Public Theatre (New York Shakespeare Festival).
AEA-SAG-AFTRA-AGMA-SSDC - Phi Kappa Phi.
The Kennedy Center/Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award©.
TONY© AWARD nomination for the "EXCELLENCE IN THEATRE EDUCATION AWARD" 2017 and 2015.
Years active (Theatre): 1974 - present
Early life
Dale Ricardo Shields received his B.F.A. and M.F.A. degrees (summa cum laude) from Ohio University. He also completed additional graduate study at Wayne State University (The Hilberry Company). Born in Cleveland, Ohio, his grandfather and father were founding members of the famed Shields Brother Gospel Quartet of Ohio, his mother was a member of the Turner Gospel Singers directed by Arthur Turner. He is the cousin of legendary fight promoter Don King. He attended John F. Kennedy High School where he received an Honor of Merit award from the Exchange Club of Cleveland for service to his community and was inducted into the George E. Mills Gallery of Excellence after graduation. He also co-authored the John F. Kennedy High School Alma Mater. He was inducted into the academic fraternity Phi Kappa Phi upon graduation from Ohio University.
Career – Director
As an associate member of The Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, his directing credits include: A Raisin in the Sun, A Solider's Play, Ragtime, The Amen Corner, Trouble in Mind, Crowns, Jesus is Alive, Fires in The Mirror, Laughter on the Twenty Third Floor, Fame, Driving Miss Daisy Quartermaine's’ Terms, Of Mice and Men, Godspell, Same Time Next Year, A Streetcar Named Desire, Three Ways Home, The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, For Colored Girls Who Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf, Rumors, The Brownsville Raid, Man of La Mancha, Before It Hits Home, The Shirt, Golden Boy and The Me Nobody Knows. He most recently conceived and directed a two-year series of original plays for the Center for Families and Children Rap Arts Youth Fellowship Program. Additional recent directorial assignments include: A Day with Duke for the Tri C Jazz Festival, Crowns at the Weathervane Playhouse and Top Dog/Under Dog at the Beck Center for The Performing Arts. He has directed productions at the Karamu House Theatre, Beck Center for the Performing Arts, Weathervane Summer Playhouse, Weathervane Community Theatre, Columbus Stage Center, The Cleveland School of the Arts, The Cleveland Public Theatre and The Cleveland Playhouse. He also produced and directed Project1voice Cleveland.
Project1VOICE is a not-for-profit performing arts service organization. What began as a grassroots initiative soon developed into a national initiative.
This mission's objective is to strengthen and promote African American theater and playwrights. Each year on the third Monday in June Project1VOICE present 1VOICE/1PLAY/1DAY, a national fundraiser to foster awareness and audience recommitment to their local arts institutions across the Unitied States. Project1voice
He was the assistant director to Lloyd Richards and Ed Smith for the New Federal Theatre premiere production of Ossie Davis’ new play A Last Dance With Sybil staring Ruby Dee and Earl Hyman at the St. Clements Theatre. He was also assistant director to Roger Danforth for the premiere of Jungle Rot at the Cleveland Playhouse.
His extensive professional credits as a Director, Stage manager and Actor (Broadway, Off Broadway, Off Off Broadway and Regional) include various projects and assignments at The Henry Street Settlement House (New Federal Theatre), The Negro Ensemble Company, The Joseph Papp Public Theatre (New York Shakespeare Festival), Upward Bound, The Hilberry Repertory Theatre, George Street Playhouse, Playwrights Horizon, Manhattan Theatre Club, The Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Actors Studio, The Actors Theatre of Louisville, The York Players, South Bronx Action Theatre, The Dobama Theatre and Columbus Stage Center.
He has taught and conducted workshops at Susquehanna University, Denison University, Randolph-Macon College, Macalester College, The College of Wooster, Ohio University and Public Theatre (New York Shakespeare Festival).
