(Sharon) Aleta Mitchell was born in Chicago, IL, on February 12, 1952, and grew up in Hyde Park. From an early age, she knew that acting was her passion. She appeared throughout the Midwest in touring theatrical productions while attending high school, and went on to earn her BA degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Iowa and an MFA in acting from the Yale School of Drama.
Professionally known as Aleta Mitchell, she began her professional acting career on Broadway in August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Numerous other productions followed Off-Broadway, including roles in Ajax, Approaching Zanzibar, Marvin’s Room, The Ohio State Murders, and Distracted, and at regional theaters around the country. She had recurring roles on the daytime dramas All My Children and Guiding Light and appeared on The Cosby Show, Law & Order, and The Equalizer. Her film credits include No Mercy (Richard Pearce), Valmont (Milos Forman), The Serpent and the Rainbow (Wes Craven), Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (Clint Eastwood), and Malcolm X (Spike Lee).
Friends and family remember Aleta for her kindness, her radiant smile, her regal presence, and her ebullient spirit. “She could light up any room,” reads her obituary.
Mary Beth Easley, professor and chair of the UI Department of Theatre Arts, recalled attending the original production of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom on Broadway, saying, “Even though it was years ago, it is etched in my memory, and I can still see vividly images of that play and remember that experience. It was simply electrifying, and Aleta’s embodiment of the character Dussie Mae was deeply nuanced and portrayed the complexity of her circumstances.”
Sharon Aleta Mitchell (Haskell) passed away on April 14, 2026, at the age of 74. Honoring her wishes, her husband, Thomas Haskell, and son, Andrew Haskell, established the Aleta Mitchell Advancement Fund at the University of Iowa to provide support to deserving students in the Department of Theatre Arts.
“Andrew and I are really excited to get this project launched,” Thomas said.
“Sharon was appreciative of her Iowa experience and wanted to pay it forward. This is a great opportunity to do exactly that.”
Easley expressed gratitude and admiration for Aleta and her legacy, saying, “We are deeply honored to hold a fund in Aleta’s name. Our students will be truly inspired by her journey, galvanized by the example she set and path she forged in the world of professional theatre. Aleta has had an exceptional career and lived an extraordinary life. What she has accomplished, others can only dream and hope to achieve.”
For those who wish to honor her memory with a gift, contributions may be made in support of the Aleta Mitchell Advancement Fund to the University of Iowa Center for Advancement, PO Box 4550, Iowa City IA 52244-4550. Credit card gifts may be made at https://bit.ly/AletaMitchellFund.
Aleta was a Shakespearean actor, and Thomas noted that her epitaph comes from The Bard himself:
“We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.”
Aleta's obituary can be found here.