Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj

Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj is an Indo-Afro-Caribbean American theater director, playwright, producer and activist. He holds an associate degree in Criminal Justice from St. John's University, a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts from St. John's University, and a Master of Fine Arts in Theatrical Directing from Brooklyn College. He is currently the Associate Artistic Producer of Milwaukee Repertory Theater. He started Rebel Theater Company in 2003 in New York City, and served as Producing Artistic Director. He is the former Artistic Director of New Freedom Theatre[1] in Philadelphia.[2] He is the Third Vice President for the Brooklyn Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He is the Chair of the Equity in the Arts and Culture Committee for the NAACP Brooklyn Branch. He is represented by Michael Moore Literary & Creatives.

Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj
Born
Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj

United States
WebsiteRajendra Maharaj Official Website

Career

As a director, Maharaj has worked on Broadway, Off-Broadway and at some of our nation's top regional theaters. New York City selected directing/choreography credits include: The Public Theatre (365 Days, Memphis Minnie workshop), Classical Theatre of Harlem (Marat Sade), Lark Play Development Center (Man Measures Man, Breathe), Woodie King Jr.'s New Federal Theatre (Diss Diss and Diss Dat), Rebel Theater (Mother Emanuel - 2016 NY Fringe Festival)[3][4][5][6], Othello: The Panther,[7] Salome: Da Voodoo Princess of Nawlins,[8] Black Footnotes,[9] Trail of Tears,[10] R+J: An Uncivil Tale - Choreographer), Making Books Sing (Band of Angels,[11] Shelter in my Car,[12] Chachajis Cup[13]), Amas Musical Theatre (Bubbling Brown Sugar, Damn Yankees, Mamma I Want to Sing, Magpie).

His regional credits include: New Freedom Theatre (Mother Emanuel, An America Musical Play[14][15][16] The Ballad of Trayvon Martin,[17][18][19] Jamaica,[20][21][22][23] Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope (Barrymore Recommended),[24][25][26][27][28] The Black Nativity[29][30][31] and Walk Through Time, by Pulitzer Prize Recipient - Lynn Nottage - World Premiere), Passage Theatre (Little Rock - 2015 Barrymore Award - Outstanding Ensemble in a Play,.[32]

Maharaj is the former Associate Artistic Director of Syracuse Stage.[33]

He is the recipient of the Woodie King Jr. Award for Outstanding Direction, four Vivian Robinson AUDELCO awards for his direction and choreography, and the inaugural 2020 National Alliance for Musical Theatre (N.A.M.T.) Fifteen-Minute Musical Theatre Challenge Award. He received grants for the Van Lier Directing Fellowship, Brooklyn Arts Council Grant, Winthrop Rockefeller Grant, Doris Duke Charitable Grant, Andrew W. Mellon Grant and Time Warner Diverse Voices Grant. Maharaj is an alumnus of Lincoln Center Directors Lab, TCG Young Leaders of Color in the American Theater, and New Orleans Writers Residency 2020, and 2020 Letter of Marque Playwright in Residence.

Maharaj at the Opening Night of Little Rock Off Broadway

Little Rock

As a playwright, Maharaj has authored several plays, including Little Rock,[34] a historical drama about the Little Rock Nine.[35] Maharaj spent thirteen years interviewing members of The Little Rock Nine, the first nine African American teenagers who integrated Little Rock Central High School. The play had its developmental premiere at Arkansas Repertory Theatre. It received another developmental production as part of the 2011 New Works Festival at TheatreWorks in Palo Alto, California. It went on to receive a production in 2014 at Passage Theatre in Trenton, NJ where it won the 2015 Barrymore Award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Play.[36]

In 2018 it made its New York Off-Broadway premiere at The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture.[37][38]

Additional writing credits

Produced work
  • Sweet Lorraine
  • Little Rock
  • Mother Emanuel, An American Musical Play
  • The Black Nativity
  • The Ballad of Trayvon Martin
  • Othello: The Panther
  • Salome Da Voodoo Princess of Nawlins
  • Black Footnotes
  • Brown Gyal in di RIng
  • History of the Word
  • Diss Diss and Diss Dat
  • Exposures

Other plays
  • The Cut
  • When You Come for One of Us, You Come for All of Us aka This is America
  • Sister in Selma
  • Charlottesville
  • Daisy
  • Children of the Dream
  • Straight Outta Denmark

References
  1. "'Broad Street Review' pairs with the Rep Radio podcast | Broad Street Review". www.broadstreetreview.com. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  2. "Theatre Philadelphia". www.theatrephiladelphia.org. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  3. "Finding Some Treasures at FringeNYC - NYTimes.com". mobile.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  4. "Theatre Is Easy | Reviews | Mother Emanuel". www.theasy.com. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  5. "Fringe Festival 2016 reviews, Part III". Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  6. Bratburd, Rebecca (2016-08-29). "For FringeNYC Fans, Encores to Come". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2016-08-30.
  7. "Othello: The Panther - Review". The Villager. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  8. "Salome - Review". The Villager. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  9. "Black Footnotes Review". Manhattan Digest. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  10. "Trail of Tears Review". Downtown Express. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  11. "Band of Angels Review". NY Times. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  12. "A Shelter in our Car - Review". NY Times. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  13. "Chachaji's Cup - Revoew". NY Times. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  14. "MOTHER EMANUEL—AN AMERICAN MUSICAL PLAY (New Freedom Theatre): Taking the theater to church". phindie. 2017-06-22. Retrieved 2017-07-05.
  15. Eger, Henrik (2017-06-21). "Celebrating the Lives of the Emanuel Nine: An Interview with the Cast of New Freedom Theatre's 'Mother Emanuel'". DCMetroTheaterArts. Retrieved 2017-07-05.
  16. "New Freedom Theatre presents 'Mother Emanuel'". Retrieved 2017-07-05.
  17. "In The Ballad of Trayvon Martin, History Looks All Too Current". Philadelphia Magazine. 2016-05-12. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  18. "A New Sense of Freedom - The Philadelphia Sunday Sun". The Philadelphia Sunday Sun. 2016-05-13. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  19. "Rajendra Ramoom Maharaj talks about powerful Trayvon Martin play". The Philadelphia Tribune. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  20. "JAMAICA (New Freedom): A great big musical full of vibrant colors, delectable lyrics, high spirits, and island vibes". phindie. 2016-06-19. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
  21. Shapiro, Howard. "Review: 'Jamaica'-bound, and with a calypso beat — NewsWorks". Newsworks.org. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
  22. "'Jamaica': Colorful show, challenged vocals, great dancing". Philly.com. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
  23. Newman, Neal (2016-06-18). "Review: 'Jamaica' at The New Freedom Theatre in Philadelphia". DCMetroTheaterArts. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
  24. Crimmins, Peter. "Revival of 'Can't Cope' recast telling story of lost North Philly school — NewsWorks". Newsworks.org. Retrieved 2016-07-22.
  25. "Freedom Theatre's 'Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope,' by Micki Grant | Broad Street Review". www.broadstreetreview.com. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  26. Dunleavy, Tim (2016-07-25). "Review: 'Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope' at New Freedom Theatre in Philadelphia". DCMetroTheaterArts. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  27. Rosenzweig, Leah (2016-07-25). "Theatre Review: 'Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope' at New Freedom Theatre". Pennsylvania Theatre Guide. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  28. "Freedom Theatre remakes 'Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope' in Philly's image". Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  29. Reporter, Kimberly C. Roberts Entertainment. "'Black Nativity' gets refreshing twist at New Freedom Theatre". The Philadelphia Tribune. Retrieved 2016-12-09.
  30. Newman, Neal (2016-12-02). "Review: 'Black Nativity' at New Freedom Theatre". DCMetroTheaterArts. Retrieved 2016-12-09.
  31. "Inspirational 'Black Nativity' relocates the story to Darfur". Philly.com. Retrieved 2016-12-09.
  32. "2015 Barrymore Winners". Theatre Philadelphia - Barrymore Awards. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  33. "Syracuse Stage". Syracuse University. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  34. SpotCo. "LITTLE ROCK - Limited Engagement Begins May 30". Site Name, i.e. Moz. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
  35. "Little Rock Review". Central NJ Press. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  36. "2017 Award Nominees and Recipients | Theatre Philadelphia". www.theatrephiladelphia.org. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
  37. "Little Rock". sheencenter.org. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
  38. "Review: 9 Brave Students and the Shame of 'Little Rock'". Retrieved 2018-08-07.
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