Ella Al-Shamahi featured on PBS

Evolutionary Biologist and part-time stand-up comic Ella Al‑Shamahi, the first female host of a major BBC Nature documentary series, recently appeared at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, as a featured speaker in the Distinguished Speaker Series of Southern California.

This sold-out show transformed the auditorium into a time machine, bridging all of human history. According to Pasadena Now, the Civic Auditorium was “packed to capacity,” and the audience was swept on a journey that blended fossil-discovery, evolutionary science, and wit. Pasadena Now

Al-Shamahi didn’t just recount the arc of humanity — she made it feel deeply personal and universally relevant. Drawing on fieldwork in caves across remote regions, research in war zones, and fossilized footprints, Ella used vivid storytelling and humor to bring to life the epic journey of our species.  This show gets at the question we all wonder: Why are Homo Sapiens the only human species left walking the planet today?

If you missed the 5-part series, HUMAN, which premiered to rave reviews on the BBC in the UK this past summer, and on PBS across the U.S. this fall, you can experience the story live, through Changemaker Talent’s touring stage show with Ella Al-Shamahi, “Human,” available to performing arts centers, universities, corporate audiences, and any organizations curious about the art of being human.