Dale Ricardo SHIELDS

Director, Consultant, and Artist in New York

Dale Ricardo Shields is a highly accomplished American actor, director, producer, and educator with a distinguished career in theatre and academia. He is recognized for his profound impact, unwavering dedication to preserving and promoting diverse theatrical history and professional artistic world culture. His artistic vision centers on the power of theatre as a tool for social change, cultural preservation, and education, driven by a strong activist purpose, with a mission to widen the cultural creative radius.

Shields views creative inspiration as a "constitutional right" available to all audiences. He works to ensure that people from all walks of life have worldwide access to the impulse of creativity and the path of historical pedagogy.

A Theatrical Practitioner, Artistic Activist, and Archivist/Scholar, Dale Ricardo Shields represents the powerful convergence of artistry, pedagogy, activism, and archival legacy.

Director, Stage manager, and Actor (Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and Regional). As an actor, he has appeared on Saturday Night Live, Another World, Guiding Light, The Cosby Show, the ITV television series Special Needs, and National commercials and films.

He is a member of the Actors' Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and the American Guild of Musical Artists performance unions.

Professor Shields began his professional career in New York City at The Negro Ensemble Company, Playwrights Horizon, The South Bronx Action Theatre, New Federal Theatre, Lincoln Center, MindBuilders, and the teaching staff at the Joseph Papp Public Theatre (New York Shakespeare Festival).

Dale Ricardo Shields serves as the head of the division of Project1VOICE as the Ohio liaison. He represented the United States for Theatre Young Audiences at the ASSITEJ Theatre Festival in London, England.

As an actor, he studied acting at The Negro Ensemble Company (Anderson Johnson), The New Federal Theatre (Hal Scott and Dick Anthony Williams), and Ohio University School of Theatre.

Professor and Visiting Artist at Ohio University, The South Bronx Community Theatre, The Cleveland School of the Arts, The College of Wooster, Denison University, Macalester College, Susquehanna University, SUNY Potsdam., The Cleveland Playhouse and Karamu House.

B.F.A and M.F.A - Ohio University. [Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society] (1995).

The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award: Recipient (2017)

Paul Robeson Award: Recipient (2021) (jointly presented by the Actors' Equity Association and Actors' Equity Foundation).

Legend Award: Received from Ohio University (2022)

ENCORE AWARD / The Actors Fund: (2020-21-22-24-25)

"Educational Program of the Year" awards, College of Wooster* University Professor. (1997/98)

The HistoryMakers archives: Interviewed and included in the archives, permanently housed in the Library of Congress. (2025)

George Mills Hall of Excellence (John F Kennedy High School) (1996)

Certificate of Merit (The Exchange Club of Cleveland) (1970)

“My artistic work's purpose is to widen the cultural radius towards imagining that inspiration itself is a constitutional right afforded to all students and audiences of the Arts, to have world access to the impulse of creativity, unafraid of its beauty, diversity, grace, and truth.”

Website(s) -

Research - Iforcolor.org, African/American Theatre Outlook Collective, Broadway Baby Boomers, and Black Theatre - African/American Voices.

Career - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Ricardo_Shields [Career]

Career highlights:
- Performance: Appeared in TV shows such as The Cosby Show, Saturday Night Live, Another World, and Guiding Light. He has also worked in Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regional (LORT) theater productions.

- Education: Served as a Professor and Visiting artist at multiple universities.

- Directing and producing: Performed, directed, and stage-managed numerous diverse theatrical events and productions across the United States.

  • Education
    • Ohio University [BFA - MFA]
Testimonials
Dale walked past and repeated, “Write what is in your heart.” I took a deep breath and poured out my heart – all of the thoughts and emotions that I had been holding onto so tightly because I was afraid to share them with anyone. I finished... I stared at the words. I had no idea this was in me. It was cathartic to put it all on paper. And then Dale asked us to read our monologues... Now when I hesitate to say something, I think of Dale and know that my voice matters.
Dr. Nicole Brinkmann Reeves -[Former college student]
I have known Professor  Shields work in area theater productions and have visited his excellent classes. I  have  attended his  thought-provoking productions. he is  incredibly passionate, understanding, compassionate, intelligent, engaging, truthful, and persistent. His “real-world  experience” is a major positive component of working with him.  He leads by example, actively striving to cut down barriers and serve as a role model for students.
Dr. Miriam Harris (Professor - Macalester College)
Shields did not expressly set out to become an educator-activist,” “However, his belief in the artist’s responsibility to society resulted in an overwhelming need to represent, serve and uplift the next generation of theatre professionals by actively sharing his extensive artistic knowledge with multiple and diverse audiences. Shields has dedicated his life to preparing, raising up and celebrating the countless young theatrical artists who were fortunate to have been taught and led by him.”
Julio Agustin (Broadway Theatre Artist)
The past two decades I have witnessed Dale’s research across the Internet, information that he freely shares with all who are interested. In an in-depth factual format, he enlightens the public with the history of Black, Latinx, and Indigenous American art forms. I share his drive to educate people on the history and cultural contributions of communities of color. This shared passion exemplifies just one more reason Dale and I have remained friends all these years.
Edan Evans deRoziere (Alumni)
I have known Dale Shields since 1987, when I directed theArts and Education Department for legendary producer,Joseph Papp at The New York Shakespeare Festival inNew York. Even though he was highly recommended by key artists, directors, and choreographers of the New York establishment, it was my observation of his theater and teaching abilities during the Arts and Education Department's Teacher Training that impressed me and endeared me to his style, ease of collaboration, and depthof experience.
Arthur Wilson (NYSF)
Professor Shields is a tough love, no bs, theatre professor who with his expirence and history in theatre uses his knowledge to help you not only better yourself but gives you advice to better your future college education. He gives a ton of information each class and participation is key."
Former Student (Rate My Professor)
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