Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj Explained

Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj
Birth Name:Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj
Birth Place:United States
Homepage:Rajendra Maharaj Official Website

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.

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.

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

Other plays

Notes and References

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

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