Shari Albert

Shari Albert grew up in Philadelphia and graduated NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a major in Theatre. Her first career was that of an accomplished actor with decades of experience in film and TV, as well as on the stages of NY and LA. Among her favorite roles are a lead in the Brother’s Mc Mullen that won the Grand Jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival and singing on stage at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris, France. Shari was lucky to have earned a living for years talking into a microphone selling everything from toothpaste to tampons.

However, telling others’ stories wasn’t enough for her and she realized she wanted to create what was being told. She has since written, produced, and acted in her own web series in 2014 and written and directed a short film. Shari has been a regular contributor to the LA Weekly and the Huffington Post, among many other in print and online publications. She is also a playwright and contributed a monologue in the upcoming monologue book, SHE PERSISTED to be published in 2021 by Applause, Books. Currently, her day job is writing treatments for award winning commercial campaigns. These include but are not limited to: McDonalds, Audible, Budweiser, Heinz, H&M, Ralph Lauren, and hundreds of others. She hopes to break into TV writing and has written pilots that have placed in the second round of the Austin Film Festival and The Final Draft Big Break contest. She continues to write specs and hopes to soon find representation.

She writes female-driven stories with humor and heart. Her mother is thrilled she’s finally married. Shari lives in NYC with her husband and their wire haired dachshund, Dr. Watson.

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA
TW: @ThatShari
IG: @Shazziz

MORE ABOUT ME
I think the most gratifying moment I've had in the theatre was when I was seven years old. I was acting in my first play, "The Golden Goose". It was a big hit in the suburbs of Philadelphia, maybe you read the reviews (circa 1978)? The magical moment that changed my life happened after my one and only line, "Are you really stuck, Fritz?" I heard my first laugh. It became complete with a perfectly timed eye-roll and hands-on hips in a psychological gesture that said, "I'm sassy. Deal with it." Uproarious laughter. I was hooked. I think from that moment forward, I have been in search of that reaction in some way or other- even if that reaction is from myself- especially as I write a first draft.  I knew at that moment, I could have a real effect on people. I could make them feel something; joy, happiness... later this became more nuanced when I began to create the stories being told. I still love it when I'm sitting in an audience or on a set and I can see and hear in real-time, the reactions my words have on people. Maybe these reactions are more complex as I became more of a mature writer but I will always love the sound of laughter from the house.  That moment I discovered words have meaning and can change the chemistry of brains and hearts, resulting in visceral expression of feeling that is shared collectively with strangers, was the moment I knew ... I needed to live a creative life. 

WHAT I'M WORKING ON
I just wrote and directed my first short film and it's currently been nominated for best short in two different festivals. I am also finishing my second pilot that I've written during the Covid quarantine.

KEYWORDS
Writer, Actor, Director,  Comedy, Dramedy