TEA ALAGIĆ is an internationally acclaimed, multilingual director, actor, playwright and producer. Based in NYC, her credits include off-Broadway, regional and international productions of both traditional theater and devised work. She holds a BFA in acting from Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, and an MFA in directing from the Yale School of Drama, where she received the Julian Milton Kaufman Prize in Directing. She serves as professor of directing and collaboration at MFA, The New School for Drama since (2012,) from (2016 – 2020) she served as Head of Directing Department for BFA and MFA.
Tea directed the (World Premiere) of Tarell McCartney’s The Brothers Size at The Public Theater, NYC,(Lortel Award nomination) and later productions in The Studio Theater Washington DC, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Old Globe San Diego, and The Abbey Theatre in Dublin. Other selected credits: North American premiere of Nobel laureate Elfriede Jelinek’s Jackie starring Tina Benko at NY City Center (multiple Lortel Award nominations); Charise Smith’s Washeteria at Soho Rep; Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet starring Elizabeth Olsen and Julian Cihi at CSC Rep; The Broadway-bound revival of Passing Strange by Stew and Heidi Rodewald at The Wilma Theater (nominated for 9 Barrymore Awards including Best Directing, winner of Best Musical Direction, Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical and Outstanding Emerging Philadelphia Artist); Daniel Alexander Jones’ Black Light at the Greenwich House in NYC and The Book of Daniel at UT Austin; Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig’s Lidless at Page 73; Emma Stanton’s No Candy at Portland Playhouse (World Premiere); and productions of a wide repertory of plays and musicals at Wilma Theatre/Philadelphia, Goodman/Chicago, National Theatre/London, Baryshnikov Arts Center, The Kitchen, The Carlotta Festival, Ensemble Studio Theatre, La Mama ETC, Asolo Rep, Hispanic Cultural Center/Albuquerque, ZKM/Croatia, 4+4 Festival/ Prague, BAC/London.
Tea Alagic collaborate, directed and produce work of contemporary playwrights Amy Herzog, Cori Thomas, Andy Bragen, Susan Stanton, Barbara Hammond, Martyna Majok, Winter Miller, Saviana Stanescu, Branden Jacob Jenkins, Chris Cragin Day, Stav Pati - Negev, Eisa Davis, Susan - Lori Parks, Gonzalo Rodrigues Risco, Matthew Maguire, Matt Williams, Alberto Villarreal, Antoinette Nwandu, Composer Elliott Sharp, Composer Daniel Levy.
Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina of Muslim heritage, Tea fled her country in1992 to escape persecution, violence and genocide. Suddenly a refugee of the war, she found her salvation and survival in theater and eventually made her way to NYC by way of Germany, Czech Republic, England and Canada. Along her journey, she continued to develop her talents as a pianist, dancer, circus performer, actor, director and taco chef fueled by her deep love for cross-cultural exchange and honest communication. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, photographer Slaven Vlasic, and their son, Sebastian.
