A director, teacher, performer, and theatre maker of Tunisian heritage, and a Sephardic/Mizrahi feminist-activist-artist, Susannah has taught, directed, and performed for organizations throughout the Bay Area including: Shotgun Players (Company Member), A.C.T., California Shakespeare Theater, Cutting Ball Theater, Golden Thread Productions, Hillbarn Theatre, Magic Theatre, Marin Theatre Company, Mugwumpin (Company Member), Oakland Theater Project, the Playwright's Foundation, San Francisco Playhouse, TheatreFirst, and West Edge Opera. Some recent credits include: Heidi Schreck's What the Constitution Means to Me for Hillbarn Theatre; Sondheim and Lapine's Sunday in the Park with George for Shotgun Players; Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Everybody for UCB TDPS; Arti Ishak's Closure for Golden Thread; Lisa Ramirez’ Book of Sand (a fairy tale) for Oakland Theater Project; Betty Shamieh’s Make No Mistake for both All New People; and the world-premiere of Dipika Guha’s In Braunau for the San Francisco Playhouse.
For five years, she was the Joint Artistic Director of Paducah Mining Co., a San Francisco-based theatre ensemble that produced acclaimed work by established playwrights and devised original pieces on complex material such as domestic terrorism, spousal abuse, and poverty in America. During her tenure with Paducah, she was awarded three Dean Goodman Choice Awards. She is also a Bay Area Critics Circle, Broadway World, and Shellie Award nominee.
Susannah is currently the Theatre Director and Arts Program Coordinator at San Francisco University High School. She was formerly a Guest Lecturer at both Saint Mary's College and UC Davis where she taught Introduction to Directing, Acting I, and Theatre Appreciation. She taught movement, voice, acting, and composition for the California Shakespeare Theater for twelve years and directed several Shakespeare productions for their 5-week summer conservatory.
Susannah received her B.F.A. in Theatre from NYU and her M.F.A. in Directing from UC Davis. She believes strongly in fostering new voices and developing young storytellers to build and transform our communities.