Ali MacLean is an actor and writer in Los Angeles and a graduate of the Miami University actor’s program and the LaJolla Playhouse acting conservatory. She is the winner of the 2018 John Gassner Playwriting Award, a 2019 O'Neill Finalist, the 2019 She NYC Arts Best Production, the 2020 David Sedaris Writing Prize, and the 2020 Julie Harris Playwriting Award.
Her plays and writing have been workshopped at the Melrose Theater, (via the HBO Workspace), the Hudson Theatre (via Comedy Central Stages), the Lyric Hyperion, Largo at the Coronet Theatre, the Naked Angels Theatre Group, the White Bear Theatre (UK), Rogue Machine Theatre, A Noise Within Theatre, Antaeus Theatre, Zephyr Theatre, EST/LA, The Road, Theatre 40, ANDTheatre Company, The TANK NYC, The Playwrights Realm, Dramatist Guild...
Ali MacLean is an actor and writer in Los Angeles and a graduate of the Miami University actor’s program and the LaJolla Playhouse acting conservatory. She is the winner of the 2018 John Gassner Playwriting Award, a 2019 O'Neill Finalist, the 2019 She NYC Arts Best Production, the 2020 David Sedaris Writing Prize, and the 2020 Julie Harris Playwriting Award.
Her plays and writing have been workshopped at the Melrose Theater, (via the HBO Workspace), the Hudson Theatre (via Comedy Central Stages), the Lyric Hyperion, Largo at the Coronet Theatre, the Naked Angels Theatre Group, the White Bear Theatre (UK), Rogue Machine Theatre, A Noise Within Theatre, Antaeus Theatre, Zephyr Theatre, EST/LA, The Road, Theatre 40, ANDTheatre Company, The TANK NYC, The Playwrights Realm, Dramatist Guild Footlights, Summer Salt and The Arcola Theatre (UK). Ali has participated in the 24-Hour Plays Viral Monologues alongside Kenneth Lonergan and Matthew Broderick, and is currently part of the New York Public Library Performing Arts Center's 'Across A Crowded Room' musical theater workshop
Distinctions:
She’s Not There: John Gassner Playwriting Award, SHE NYC Arts Best Play. Finalist: Scribe Marsha A. Croyle Award, Kitchen Dog Theatre, and Pegasus Playlabs, and Alleyway Theatre Maxim Mazumdar Prize.
Wolves At The Door: Julie Harris Award. Finalist: O’Neill National Playwright’s Conference, Creede Repertory Headwaters Festival, Screencraft, and New American Voices.
Sullen Girl: Workshopped by Playwrights Realm, Dramatists Guild Footlights. Finalist: Moxie Arts, Gary Marshall New Works, Parity Playwrights Commission.
This Will Be Our Year: Workshopped: EST/LA, Citadel of Playwrights (Resident Artist), Sundance Collective, SHE LA Arts Festival at Zephyr Theatre. Orchard Project Finalist.
Now adapted to a musical with original songs by Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn.
I’ll Call You Mine: Workshopped: Summer Salt Playwrights Workshop, The Cloud Factory.
The Point (short play): Workshopped: Antaeus, ANDTheatre, and EST/LA.
Final Resting Place: Finalist: Kitchen Dog, Parity Playwright Commission, Women's Playwriting Prize UK, Pipeline Theatre. 2nd round: Ojai Playwrights Conference, winner of the International Center for Women Playwrights Amy Oestreicher Award.
The Point - full length - (workshopped at Summer Salt) EST/LA 'Pick of the Playwrights Unit', Winterfest, 2024, The Road Theater 15th annual Summer Playwrights Festival.
Frozen Oranges, a monologues she wrote and performed, was chosen from 6,500 entries to be a part of the MIND mental health charity fundraiser show at the Arcola Theatre in London.
Nominated for BroadwayWorld Awards for Best Play, Best Writer, Best Director, Best Actor
Short films: Winners at Atlanta, Toronto, Gen Art, and Palm Springs.
Screenplays: Stowe Story Labs Fellow Women in Film Mentor recipient, Writers For Writers Fellowship, Finalist: WeScreenplay Diverse Voices, Orchard Project, Chesterfield Writer’s Project. Semi-Finalist: Los Angeles International Film Festival, Scriptapalooza, Screencraft, Script Lab.
TV: MTV, VH-1, Showtime, HBO. POP TV, and FOX
Publications: 2020 David Sedaris Humor Writing Prize. Nation Books, Applause Books, and Smith & Kraus.
Member: EST/LA and their Playwrights Unit, Antaeus Theatre Playwrights Lab, The Cloud Factory, Citadel of Playwrights, The Honor Roll - an advocacy group of women+ playwrights over 40, Imagine Impact Creators Network, Greenlight Women, RespectAbility, 1in4 Coalition Writers, The Black Magic Collective, The Sundance Collective, and the Dramatists Guild.
A mental health advocate, MacLean was named a Talent Ambassador for MTV Mental Health Action Day. She speaks on panels (National Endowment For The Arts, Roundabout Theatre, Hollywood Fringe Fest, Women In Film, RespectAbility, Kings Head Theater, etc.) about topics such as mental health in the arts, depression, inclusion, and disability.