Theater, Film, and Television Director; Known for How to Dance in Ohio
Sammi Cannold: Biography at a Glance
- Sammi Cannold, a Jewish Broadway director made headlines when her husband Safi Rauf, a Muslim humanitarian, was held captive by the Taliban for 105 days. Sammi has since become an advocate for using art as a vehicle for social change and advocacy.
- Sammi recently made her Broadway directorial debut with How to Dance in Ohio at the Belasco Theater and she was recognized by Forbes as one of Hollywood’s 30 Under 30.
- She has directed productions at prestigious venues such as The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and Radio City Music Hall, working with organizations like CBS, ABC, Paramount+, Cirque du Soleil, and TikTok.
- Sammi's theater credits include Evita (Critic's Pick), Rent in Concert, Sunset Boulevard, and Carmen (NYT Critic's Pick), with innovative productions such as Ragtime on Ellis Island and Violet on a moving bus.
- In television, she directed Curtain Up! live on ABC and was a Creative Consultant for the 2021 Tony Awards on Paramount+ and CBS, while her documentary film premiered at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre and was released on AppleTV.
- Sammi’s message of empowerment, drawn from life-and-death stakes, encourages audiences to rise to challenges, break barriers, and believe in their own capacity for advocacy and change, whether through art or other methods.
Videos
Biography
Sammi Cannold is a theater, film, and television director who is one of Forbes Magazine's 30 Under 30 in Hollywood & Entertainment, one of Variety's 10 Broadway Stars to Watch, and one of Town & Country's Creative Aristocracy. She recently made her Broadway debut as director of How to Dance in Ohio at the Belasco Theater.
Sammi has directed at some of the world's most prestigious venues, including The Kennedy Center, Radio City Music Hall, and Lincoln Center as well as for the National Symphony Orchestra, CBS, ABC, Nickelodeon, Paramount+, Cirque du Soleil, and TikTok. As a speaker, she has spoken at the Global Business Summit in New Delhi, TedxBroadway, the US State Department, several universities, and will speak at the upcoming Aspen Ideas Festival.
Recent theater credits include Evita (A.R.T., STC, New York City Center -- Critic's Pick), Rent in Concert (The Kennedy Center), Sunset Boulevard (The Kennedy Center), Carmen (Rose Hall, Lincoln Center -- NYT Critic's Pick), Celine Song’s Endlings (New York Theatre Workshop, A.R.T.), Ragtime on Ellis Island, and Violet on a moving bus (A.R.T.).
In the television space, Sammi has served as Director of Curtain Up!, live on ABC, and served as Creative Consultant on the 2021 Tony Awards, live on Paramount+ and CBS. Sammi’s first documentary feature film premiered at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre and was released worldwide on AppleTV.
In December 2021, Sammi's husband--Afghan-American humanitarian Safi Rauf--was taken hostage by the Taliban with Sammi and his family left to negotiate for his freedom alongside the US State Department. After his release in April 2022, Safi and Sammi shifted to advocating for fellow hostage families and amplifying hostage and detainee stories in the arts.
Sammi has also served as an Artistic Fellow at the A.R.T., a member of Cirque du Soleil's Creative Cognoscenti, and a Sundance Institute Fellow. Sammi holds a B. A. from Stanford University and an M.A. from Harvard University.
Topics
What Negotiating for Your Husband’s Release from Taliban Captivity Teaches You About Empowerment and Bridge-Building
In December of 2021, Broadway director Sammi Cannold was informed that her husband–a humanitarian aid worker operating in Afghanistan–had been taken hostage by the Taliban. During his 105 days of captivity until his release in April 2022, Cannold–who is Jewish–and her husband’s devout Muslim family–who did not accept the relationship–were left to figure out how to work together for the sake of her husband’s release. In this talk, Cannold recounts how hostage crises put everyday civilians in the hot seat of advocating for their loved ones at the highest levels of government and in the strangest of situations. Moreover, in a story first covered by the New York Times, she discusses how life-and-death situations rip the proverbial band-aid on overcoming differences and breaking down barriers between seemingly adversarial individuals. Cannold concludes with a message of hope and empowerment, encouraging listeners from all walks of life to believe in their own power to advocate for what’s right and rise to whatever occasion they may be presented with.
Art as Advocacy
Have you ever seen or experienced a work of art that inspired you to act, give, or change your outlook? In this talk, Broadway director, Forbes 30 Under 30 lister, and one of Variety’s 10 Broadway Stars to Watch Sammi Cannold explores the profound impact of using art as a vehicle for social change and advocacy. Building on her Ted Talk about the responsibility of the storyteller, using case studies from theater and film, and employing behind-the-scenes insights, Cannold demonstrates how art can become a catalyst for dialogue, empathy, and action. In this talk, she encourages individuals from all walks of life to harness their creativity to address pressing issues, drive social change, and contribute to a more equitable and compassionate world and equally, encourages institutions and organizations to consider art as a powerful pathway for change.
