Ali Stroker

Born and raised in Ridgewood, New Jersey, actress Ali Stroker was inspired to pursue the career after seeing her first Broadway musical at the age of seven. Paralyzed from the chest down after spinal injuries sustained in a car accident when she was only two years old, Stroker began using a wheelchair for mobility at a young age. As a young person, Stroker trained with the renowned Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey. Stroker graduated from Ridgewood High School in Ridgewood, New Jersey. She was the president of her class and also starred in two musicals during her tenure at the school. Following graduation, Stroker matriculated at New York University where in 2009 she was the first student to use a wheelchair to graduate from the Tisch School of the Arts with a Fine Arts degree. In 2011 Stroker was featured in the short film "I Was a Mermaid and Now I'm a Pop Star." The next year she auditioned for "The Glee Project" (Oxygen, 2011-12), and was cast in the series. She earned second place in the competition which gave her a guest role on the series "Glee" (Fox, 2009-15). She worked in television, playing a character on the MTV series "Faking It" ( MTV, 2014-16). In 2015 Stroker played Anna in the Deaf West revival of "Spring Awakening." She was the first actress to use a wheelchair to appear on a Broadway stage. In 2018 Stroker was cast in the St. Ann's Warehouse revival of "Oklahoma!" as Ado Annie. The show moved to the Circle in the Square Theatre on Broadway in 2019, where Stroker earned a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She was the first person who uses a wheelchair to be nominated and awarded a Tony Award for acting in a production.