Last summer, my husband and I went to see Twelfth Night in Shakespeare in the Park. I was so struck by the chemistry between the actors that I almost couldn’t focus on the play. There was such delight, aliveness, and responsiveness between them that I found myself watching the dynamic between the ensemble as much as the story. Afterward, I asked one of the actors about it, and she said, “Oh. It’s totally because Saheem Ali is our director.”
Yesterday, we got to sit down with Saheem Ali himself for a special BREAKDOWN on GROUP LIFE. (And Group Lifers can now listen to the full conversation by clicking the video above!)
For those not familiar, Saheem Ali is the Associate Artistic Director of The Public Theater, a two-time Tony Award nominee for Buena Vista Social Club and Fat Ham, and the director of last summer’s Twelfth Night and this summer’s Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare in the Park. I’ve been lucky enough to experience two of his plays (not knowing they were his at the time), and in both, I was blown away by the cast’s relationship with itself and the material. I reached out to Ali to see if he might draw back the curtain a bit and share with us how he builds a group, how he takes a room full of talented, intimidated, intimidating, gifted strangers into an ensemble.
And, as always, I have these conversations because I believe group skills exist in every field if we know where to look. This conversation is full of practical wisdom for anyone who gathers people — teachers, managers, facilitators, hosts, directors, parents.
Here are 10 ways to build a group, according to Saheem Ali:
1. Don’t force connection. Remove blockages. In a first rehearsal, especially with Shakespeare, people often arrive carrying baggage: insecurity, intimidation, impostor syndrome, the feeling that they should know more than they do. Ali doesn’t skip over that or hope it just passes. Instead, he starts by having everyone share their relationship (and hang-ups, insecurities, and vulnerabilities) with Shakespeare. And he goes first. He shares his own history with and to Shakespeare, including what he loves and what he fears, and then invites others to do the same. And it totally changes the room when everyone admits they’re all scared.
2. Equalize the room early. Ali likes circles. No one is in front of or behind. Before their table read, he invites the actors to respond to the prompt in a popcorn-style format, allowing them to speak when they are ready. For Twelfth Night (and this is brilliant), instead of reading through the material with everyone reading their own parts (as is customary), he had the star-studded cast read parts that are not their own. Left on its own, a first read can reinforce hierarchy and intimidation. This version did the opposite. It levels the room and reminds everyone: we’re holding this together.
3. The first five percent shapes the rest. Most groups skip the beginning. We rush in and get to work. Ali doesn’t. He slows down those first minutes, helping people arrive together.
4. Ask a question that fits this group, this moment, this material. For Twelfth Night, Ali asked his cast to share their feelings (and hangups) about Shakespeare. For Fat Ham, he invited his cast to share about their own family (and he always goes first). For Buena Vista Social Club, he asked each actor to share where they were when they first heard that famous album. “I’m always looking for that thing in the beginning that will allow us to connect as human beings,” Ali said. Ali finds the right Magical Question for each cast.
5. Attention to language is an act of love. One of my favorite parts of our whole conversation was his discussion of where and how he uses language on stage to place, displace, recenter, and play with identity and belonging. In Ali’s Twelfth Night, he has the twins speak to each other in their native Swahili, without any subtitles or translation for the audience. And he gave us a sneak peek into how he’s going to do it in this summer’s Romeo and Juliet. Language, in his work, isn’t just communication. It’s care.
6. Notice what your group needs right now. Games can be great, but they’re not always right for the context or the moment you’re in. Ali spoke about being careful with games. They can feel forced or out of sync with the room. Instead, he focuses on what the group actually needs and builds from there.
7. Create spider webs of connection, not just a single group moment. A strong group isn’t just about what happens in the center. Ali is constantly tracking who is speaking and who is not, who is taking space and who is holding back. He builds a web of connection between individuals. He spoke about growing up in Kenya, sitting in a circle on the floor, eating from a shared tray, and learning how to take enough for yourself while leaving space for others. That sensibility shows up in how he builds a cast.
8. One-on-ones deepen the group. Ali makes time for individual conversations, especially with people who are quieter or taking up a lot of space. Not everything happens in front of the room. Some of the most important shifts happen in private, where people can actually be seen and heard.
9. A strong room is both safe and brave. As Ali shared, “Sometimes you can have safety, but not bravery, and bravery, but not safety.” He tries to model vulnerability, honesty, and optimism so others feel permission to take risks.
10. “You constantly get to refine how you enter a room.” Ali described theater as a place where, over and over again, you build a temporary family. You gather for two or three months. You make something together. Then you part. Then you do it again. Each time, you get to refine how you enter, what works, what doesn’t, and what kind of space helps people do their best work.
And, Group Lifers can now listen to the full conversation by clicking the video above.
As Ali shared, “When it can happen without you there, that’s the most beautiful feeling in the world.” What he’s building is not just a strong room, but a group that can carry itself.
As always,
Priya
P.S. A number of you asked in the chat about the Buena Vista Club documentaries we mentioned; you can check them out here: Buena Vista Social Club and Buena Vista Social Club: Adios.
P.P.S. And don’t miss out on what’s coming up in GROUP LIFE!
Monday, April 13 at 8pm ET: I’m going live with Jodi Kantor and Anand Giridharadas to talk about Jodi’s new book, HOW TO START, for young people (and young at heart) to find their life’s work. Join us here.
Wednesday, April 15 at 12pm ET: Our next GROUP HELP Lab is on Connection Across Cultural Difference. RSVP here.
Wednesday, April 22 at 12pm ET: Our next BREAKDOWN is with Nasim Alikhani, who is using her Persian restaurant, Sofreh, as a gathering space. Join us here.
P.P.P.S. If you’re thinking about how to build groups that don’t just connect, but can hold healthy heat, my next book, The Art of Fighting, is a guide to connection when things get hard. You can pre-order it here.
