She is an Obie Award-winning director known for the “incisive clarity” (The New York Times) of her work with physicality and text. Recent work includes the revival of Ntozake Shange’s For Colored Girls… (The Public Theater - Lortel Award; Outer Critics honoree; five Antonyo Award wins; Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel Award noms; Times Critics Pick), If Pretty Hurts… by Tori Sampson (Playwrights Horizons), and the premiere of Kevin Artigue’s Steinberg nominated Sheepdog (South Coast Rep). She has directed two Pulitzer Prize finalists, and countless other new plays by writers including Tanya Barfield, debbie tucker green, Dan Deitz, Anna Deveare Smith, Penelope Skinner, Kevin Artigue and Roy Williams. She is working with NY Times best-selling “Instapoet” Rupi Kaur to adapt her work for theatre. Other credits include: the national tour of Wit with Judith Light; Oregon Shakespeare Festival; Manhattan Theatre Club; Atlantic Theater Company; Soho Rep; NYSAF; Arena Stage; ACT; Berkeley Rep; Alliance; Baltimore Center Stage; Studio Theatre; CATF; Houston Shakespeare Festival; Barrington Stage; Philadelphia Theatre Company. As writer/director: Cultures Collide, a play with music created exclusively for the U.S. Congress, produced by Sony Entertainment. As short film director: The Belle of New Orleans (Alliance Theatre), and WHY (Arena Stage/Flash Acts Festival). As a film producer: Mother of George starring Danai Gurira (Best Cinematography, Sundance). As an actor: playing herself in Ira Sachs’ Little Men opposite Greg Kinnear. Leah holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.F.A. in directing from the Yale School of Drama.
