criticalrant.com Alexandra Bonifield

Alexandra Bonifield is often described as a true original and a born leader.
Theater performer, director, producer, coach and teacher. Published author. Arts advocate, theater critic and feature writer. Progressive political organizer and activist. Proud feminist. Verbal, English, writing, ACT/SAT test prep and (occasional) Latin tutor. Non-profit arts manager, program developer and educational  coordinator. Radio personality. Accomplished horsewoman and former equestrian entrepreneur.

Critic Alexandra Bonifield in action

A graduate of the Hockaday School in Dallas, she attended Rice University on honor scholarship and graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas. She was elected a Business and Professional Women’s Organization “Young Careerist”, held national certification as an equestrian instructor for two decades and created and directed innovative educational drama programs in Texas and California. In 2008 she was named a National Endowment for the Arts/Annenberg Fellow in theater criticism. Her short story, “River of Ponies” earned  publication in the 2008 Ten Spurs Journal at the highly competitive University of North Texas Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference and Writing Competition.She has guest lectured at The University of North Texas in theater criticism, and in 2011 she attended the National Media Reform Conference in Boston on scholarship. She is a special contributor to American Theatre Magazine, The Dallas Morning News and writes regularly for national and regional sites and publications. Her theatre criticism and advocacy blog criticalrant.com has a strong regional and national following, and she is a voting member of the Dallas-Ft.Worth Theatre Critics’ Forum. In 2015, she attend the distinguished O’Neill Theatre Critics Institute in Connecticut and is now an O’Neill Critics Fellow.

What do arts leaders say about Alexandra Bonifield?  “A strong voice is an essential element of the theater.  When Alexandra Bonifield speaks about the stage, her voice is not only clear, it is passionate, informed, articulate and a powerful advocate for our great American professional Regional Theater.” Donald Jordan, Artistic Director, Oklahoma City Repertory Company, Oklahoma City OK

“Alexandra Bonifield is one of the most energetic, committed and insightful critics in the region. She tirelessly covers theaters, both large and small, throughout our community, championing new voices and productions that would otherwise go unnoticed. She is supportive of new voices and new approaches to creating theater while also honestly sharing her own detailed critical analysis of the play itself and how the artists live up to the challenges of bringing that play to life. For all of us in DFW who not only love great theater, but also love a meaningful dialogue about great theater, Alexandra provides an essential service. Her voice is important contribution to the lively theatrical community that is thriving in DFW.” Kevin Moriarty, Artistic Director, Dallas Theater Center, Dallas TX

Bonifield draws inspiration from Molly Ivins, Pauline Kael, Wendy Wasserstein, Jeannette Rankin, Terry Tempest Williams, Barbar Boxer, Rachel Maddow and Hildegarde of Bingen. She dreams of a peaceful, vibrant world where the arts and women artists in particular are supported, honored and compensated fully for their positive contribution to the sanity and balance of every society on earth….

Lecturing on theatre criticism, University of North Texas 2010