Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj

Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj
Born Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj
(1972-08-10) August 10, 1972
United States
Website Rajendra Maharaj Official Website

Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj (August 10, 1972) is an award winning Indo-Caribbean American theater director, playwright, producer and activist who was hailed in the New York Times as “one of the most talented directors in New York these days”.[1] 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 started Rebel Theater Company in 2003 in New York City, and is currently Producing Artistic Director. In 2016 he was appointed the Artistic Director of New Freedom Theatre[2][3] in Philadelphia. Freedom Theatre is the oldest African American Theatres in Pennsylvania and one of the oldest in the Nation. It was founded John E. Allen, Jr. in 1966. In 1968 Robert E. Leslie joined Freedom Theatre and founded the Performing Arts Training Program in 1971. He currently sits on the Board of Director for Theatre Philadelphia.[4] Maharaj is represented by Bret Adams, Ltd.[5]

Theater Direction

Maharaj with his 2015 Barrymore Award for Little Rock

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)[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13], Othello: The Panther,[14] Salome: Da Voodoo Princess of Nawlins,[15] Black Footnotes,[16] Trail of Tears,[17] R+J: An Uncivil Tale - Choreographer), Making Books Sing (Band of Angels,[18] Shelter in my Car,[19] Chachajis Cup[20]), Amas Musical Theatre (Bubbling Brown Sugar, Damn Yankees, Mamma I Want to Sing, Magpie).

His regional credits include: New Freedom Theatre (The Ballad of Trayvon Martin,[21][22][23] Jamaica,[24][25][26][27] Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope (Barrymore Recommended),[28][29][30][31][32] and Walk Through Time, by Pulitzer Prize Recipient - Lynn Nottage - World Premiere), Passage Theatre (Little Rock - 2015 Barrymore Award - Outstanding Ensemble in a Play,[33] TheatreWorks (Little Rock), Signature Stage (Sweet Tea), Syracuse Stage (Godspell and Putting It Together starring Tony Award winners Lillias White and Chuck Cooper), Actors Theatre of Louisville (Nightswim and Classyass), St. Louis Black Rep (Damn Yankees), Arkansas Repertory Theatre (The Wiz, Dreamgirls, Intimate Apparel, Little Rock, A Raisin in the Sun), Crossroads Theatre (History of the Word, The Colored Museum), Alabama Shakespeare Festival (Sanctified), Prince Musical Theatre (From the Hip), Theatre of the Stars (Dreamgirls: The 25th Anniversary Production starring Tony Award Winner, Jennifer Holiday), The Goodman Theatre (The Black Nativity) and Portland Stage Company (Master Harold and the boys).

Maharaj is the former Associate Artistic Director of Syracuse Stage[34] and Lark Play Development Center. He has held artistic residencies with The Public Theatre, New Freedom Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Kennedy Center, Crossroads Theatre, Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Lark Play Development Center, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, and Amas Musical Theatre.

He is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and has appeared on the cover of American Theatre Magazine.[35]

Playwright

Maharaj at the 2016 NY Fringe Festival

As a playwright, Maharaj has authored several plays, including Little Rock[36] - a historical drama about the Little Rock Nine,[37] Daisy, inspired by the life and legacy of the indomitable Daisy Lee Bates, Hansberry/Baldwin (Semi-Finalist for the Eugene O'Neil Playwright Festival.)

Other Commissioned work includes: Diss Diss and Dis Dat, a new hip hop musical inspired by the music of the Funkie Natives; Grey and Twenty-Five; Black Footnotes (Sloan Grant/Ensemble Studio Theater); Little Rock (TCG/NEA New Generations Grant); Children of the Dream.

Cowritten and Coconceived work: The Ballad of Trayvon Martin (Co-Authored by Thomas J. Soto), Mother Emanuel (Co-Authored by Adam Mace and Christian Lee Branch), History of the Word, a new spoken word play with music; Exposures, an urban spoken word choreopoem.

Adapted work: Othello:The Panther, Abortion by O’Neill “Mississippi Night”; Black Nativity by Langston Hughes “Darfur Nativity”; Straight Outta Denmark (Adapted from Hamlet).

He is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America.

Works

Activism

Maharaj in rehearsal

Maharaj is an active member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Knights of Columbus.

As an activist, Maharaj has used his art to raise awareness for charities like Foundation Rwanda, Darfur Women Action Group, the Native American Mission House and Camp Amerikids

Theater Producer

Maharaj onstage at Freedom Theatre

Maharaj started Voices at the River[38] in 2010, a program designed to support African-American and Latino playwrights both nationally and in Arkansas. While at Redshirt Entertainment, he began the annual Rooftop reading series of new 10-minute plays[39] and the Holocaust Remembrance series (covering the Holocaust, Rwanda, Darfur, the Trail of Tears, and Bosnia). Rebel Theater Company maintains a core ensemble featuring a diverse group of artists and activists.

In partnership with Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Maharaj has produced several plays including: Defacing Michael Jackson, Othello: The Panther, Salome: Da Voodoo Princess of Nawlins, Black Footnotes, R+J: An Uncivil Tale, and Trail of Tears.

Radio Podcast Host

In 2015, Maharaj became the host of his own Podcast Radio Show called Beyond the Footlights. The show airs every Monday at Noon on BBox Radio. Past episodes can be found on the show's archive.[40] The show focuses is the careers of artists and activists who are both emerging and established and takes a look at their lives beyond the footlights.

Awards, Fellowships and Grants

Controversy

As the new Artistic Director of the New Freedom Theatre, Maharaj has not been without controversy. Many blame him for the ousting of long-time Freedom staff and his lack of respect or empathy for their situation.[41]

References

  1. ↑ "NY Times Write-up" (PDF). RajendraMaharaj.com. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  2. ↑ "Home - New Freedom Theatre - Philadelphia, PA". New Freedom Theatre - Philadelphia, PA. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  3. ↑ "'Broad Street Review' pairs with the Rep Radio podcast | Broad Street Review". www.broadstreetreview.com. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  4. ↑ "Theatre Philadelphia". www.theatrephiladelphia.org. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  5. ↑ "Bret Adams, Ltd.". Bret Adams Ltd. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  6. ↑ "Finding Some Treasures at FringeNYC - NYTimes.com". mobile.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  7. ↑ "Theatre Is Easy | Reviews | Mother Emanuel". www.theasy.com. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  8. ↑ "Fringe Festival 2016 reviews, Part III". Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  9. ↑ "Off-Off-Broadway Review: "Mother Emanuel" at FringeNYC 2016 at the SoHo Playhouse". 2016-08-18. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  10. ↑ Bratburd, Rebecca (2016-08-29). "For FringeNYC Fans, Encores to Come". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2016-08-30.
  11. ↑ Gutman, Les. "2016 New York International Fringe Festival, a CurtainUp Report". www.curtainup.com. Retrieved 2016-08-30.
  12. ↑ "Fringe Review: Mother Emanuel". New York Theater. 2016-08-27. Retrieved 2016-08-30.
  13. ↑ "Mother Emanuel, An American Musical Play - SoHo Playhouse". 2016-08-23. Retrieved 2016-08-30.
  14. ↑ "Othello: The Panther - Review". The Villager. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  15. ↑ "Salome - Review". The Villager. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  16. ↑ "Black Footnotes Review". Manhattan Digest. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  17. ↑ "Trail of Tears Review". Downtown Express. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  18. ↑ "Band of Angels Review". NY Times. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  19. ↑ "A Shelter in our Car - Review". NY Times. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  20. ↑ "Chachaji's Cup - Revoew". NY Times. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  21. ↑ "In The Ballad of Trayvon Martin, History Looks All Too Current". Philadelphia Magazine. 2016-05-12. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  22. ↑ "A New Sense of Freedom - The Philadelphia Sunday Sun". The Philadelphia Sunday Sun. 2016-05-13. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  23. ↑ "Rajendra Ramoom Maharaj talks about powerful Trayvon Martin play". The Philadelphia Tribune. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  24. ↑ "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.
  25. ↑ Shapiro, Howard. "Review: 'Jamaica'-bound, and with a calypso beat — NewsWorks". Newsworks.org. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
  26. ↑ "'Jamaica': Colorful show, challenged vocals, great dancing". Philly.com. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
  27. ↑ Newman, Neal (2016-06-18). "Review: 'Jamaica' at The New Freedom Theatre in Philadelphia". DCMetroTheaterArts. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
  28. ↑ Crimmins, Peter. "Revival of 'Can't Cope' recast telling story of lost North Philly school — NewsWorks". Newsworks.org. Retrieved 2016-07-22.
  29. ↑ "Freedom Theatre's 'Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope,' by Micki Grant | Broad Street Review". www.broadstreetreview.com. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  30. ↑ 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.
  31. ↑ 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.
  32. ↑ "Freedom Theatre remakes 'Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope' in Philly's image". Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  33. ↑ "2015 Barrymore Winners". Theatre Philadelphia - Barrymore Awards. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  34. ↑ "Syracuse Stage". Syracuse University. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  35. ↑ "American Theatre Magazine - Maharaj". American Theatre Magazine. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  36. ↑ "Little Rock, An American Play - Official Website". Little Rock, An American Play. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  37. ↑ "Little Rock Review". Central NJ Press. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  38. ↑ Voices at the River
  39. ↑ ”"Rooftop Reading Series" of New Work, Featuring Tony Winner Tonya Pinkins and Derric Harris, Offered Aug. 3-5" By Michael Gioia in Playbill.com (Aug 2012)
  40. ↑ "Beyond the Footlights Episodes". RajendraMaharaj.com. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  41. ↑ Gregg, Cherri. "Community Gathers Following Major Changes At Freedom Theater". Retrieved 2016-09-20.

External links

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