Nadja Simmonds is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio where she started performing with Cincinnati Black Theatre company and Cincinnati Shakespeare Company's Summer Program. She then moved to Milwaukee and attended Marquette University, with a focus in Theater Arts, Digital Media, and Spanish.
Some of her recent work includes acting/directing with Florentine Opera Company, Next Act Theater, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Forward Theater, First Stage Children's Theater, Northern Sky Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre's Young Playwrights Festival, and working with the Summit Players, Wisconsin's premiere traveling Shakespeare troupe.
During the height of the pandemic, Simmonds moved back to Cincinnati and worked on virtual productions with CATCO, First Stage Children's Theater, and Milwaukee Chamber Theater, while taking some much-needed family time. Since then, her focus has been on finding and working with supportive theater communities that value collaboration, accountability, equity and inclusion, and a work/life balance.
Appearances at Lyric Opera
Assistant Director, The Pirates of Penzance (2027)
