Malkia Stampley is a theater maker: director, artistic producer, actor, and arts leader, specializing in new works, musicals, contemporary classics, and curated projects. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Malkia attended Marquette University where she studied theater arts. She is a Milwaukee Rep Acting Intern alum, Broadway for Racial Justice’s Casting Directive Fellowship (BFRJ) alum, Theater Producers of Color (TPOC) 2022 alum and has been a BOLD Theater Artist since 2022. Malkia is currently Goodman Theatre’s BOLD Artistic Producer and a freelance director based in Chicago. 

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Named one of Chicago's "New City Players 50 2025: Theater," Malkia's directing credits include Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, TimeLine Theatre, Shattered Globe Theatre, Raven Theatre, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, American Players Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Black Arts MKE, First Stage, Skylight Music Theatre, Milwaukee Black Theatre Festival, Northern Sky Theater, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Farmers Alley Theatre and a host of theaters for workshops and readings.

 

Malkia co-authored the play, LINES, which premiered at Theatre LILA in 2018. TV and film credits include 61st Street, Shameless, Work in Progress, The Chi, Chicago PD, Chicago Med. Films include Christmas on the Ranch (Hulu), Native Son (HBO), Beats (Netflix), Small Town Wisconsin, Killing Eleanor with an extensive voiceover career. Malkia is a proud member of Stage Directors and Choreographers (SDC), Actors Equity Association (AEA) and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA).

 

Malkia is a facilitator with University of Chicago's Civic Actors Studio and Chicago's Justice Advisory Council's Community of Care initiative. Malkia co-founded Bronzeville Arts Ensemble in 2013 to address the lack of diversity in theater in Wisconsin and served three years as Producing Artistic Director. Her directorial debut, a modern conceptualized BLACK NATIVITY by Langston Hughes for Black Arts MKE at Marcus Center for the Performing Arts in 2016, continues to be an annual Milwaukee holiday favorite after three years under her direction. Malkia co-founded the Milwaukee Black Theatre Festival in 2020 in response to the economic, social and racial challenges following the murder of George Floyd, aiming to amplify Black voices through theater in the Midwest and served as the founding Artistic Producer the first two years.