Multitalented Acting Coach Marishka S. Phillips Finds Success As A Director

Marishka S. Phillips, a former Broadway musical theater performer turned acting coach, is attaining new success as a director. The Queens, New York-based, Ms. Phillips was recently tapped to direct a live, three camera taping of Carlos Jerome's short play, Counting Pedestals, for the legendary Negro Ensemble Company, a place that has given many Black creatives an opportunity to hone their craft, in front and behind the curtains. The production will be staged, performed and filmed at the Bessie and Obie Award-winning Dixon Place incubator space, in October.

Over the years, Ms. Phillips has helped actors channel their best performances, and in the interim has emerged a much sought after acting coach with a client roster that includes multi-award winning actress Kerry Washington (Little Fires Everywhere, Scandal, American Son on Broadway); NAACP Image Award Nominee, Nicole Beharie (Miss Juneteenth, Sleepy Hollow, Shame); Reiko Aylesworth (24 the series, You've Got Mail); Tasha Smith (Empire, Star); Elisabeth Röhm (Jane the Virgin, The Oath), just to name a few.

Ms. Phillips has been easing into writing and directing for more than a decade, and in 2017 began to fully realize her dream with the haunting short film, Melinda the Movie, which she wrote and directed, starring Tony-Award-winner, LaChanze(The Color Purple, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, If/Then). The film also features another Tony Award-winner, the phenomenal Lillias White(Fela!, Chicago). In the year that followed the release, her short made its way to a number of film festival where it picked up numerous awards and honors.

Last year, Ms. Phillips was brought on to direct the Audelco nominated, one-woman stage production, Down to Eartha, written and starring actress Dierdra McDowell, who has graced the stage, and both film and television screens (Power, A Night at the Table, Juju, Love Always, Eartha). The play pays homage to the multifaceted entertainer/activist, Eartha Kitt who was famously targeted by the CIA after comments she made at a White House luncheon. The play was in residency at the Dwyer Cultural Center in Harlem until COVID shut the city down.

Additional information on her new directorial project, Counting Pedestals, for the Negro Ensemble Company will be announced, including more on casting.

Both Melinda the Movie, and a filmed performance of Down to Eartha, are accessible on Vimeo. To accessMelinda the Movie, click https://vimeo.com/ondemand/melindathemovie. Ticket price is $4.99. Down to Eartha will be available on Vimeo in November. Advance tickets are available by visiting https://vimeo.com/454806441.Tickets are $15.00.