Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj is an Indo-Afro-Caribbean American artist, educator, and activist. He was hailed in the New York Times as “one of the most talented directors in New York these days”. He is the Third Vice President of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for the Borough of Brooklyn and Chair of the NAACP Brooklyn Equity in the Arts and Culture Committee.
Regional selected Directing/Choreography credits include: Yale University/Yale Dramatic Association (Dreamgirls), New Freedom Theatre (Mother Emanuel, An American Musical Play, The Black Nativity, The Ballad of Trayvon Martin, Jamaica, Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope, The Colored Museum, Walk Through Time – World Premier by Pulitzer Prize Recipient, Lynn Nottage) Passage Theatre (Little Rock – 2015 Barrymore Award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Play), TheatreWorks (Little Rock), Signature Stage (Sweet Tea), Syracuse Stage (Godspell, Putting It Together starring Lillias White and Chuck Cooper), Actors Theatre of Louisville (Nightswim and Classyass), St. Louis Black Rep (Damn Yankees), Arkansas Repertory Theatre (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 Holliday), The Goodman Theatre (The Black Nativity) and Portland Stage Company (Master Harold and the Boys).
New York City selected Directing/Choreography credits include: The Sheen Center for Thought and Culture (Little Rock), The Public Theatre (365 Days, Memphis Minnie workshop), Classical Theatre of Harlem (Marat Sade), Lark Play Development Center (Man Measures Man, Breathe), New Federal Theatre (Diss Diss and Diss Dat), Rebel Theater (Mother Emanuel – 2016New York International Fringe Festival), Othello: The Panther, Black Footnotes, Ghosts, Salome: Da Voodoo Princess of Nawlins, Trail of Tears, R+J: An Uncivil Tale – Choreographer), Making Books Sing (Band of Angels, Shelter in my Car, Chachajis Cup), Amas Musical Theatre (Bubbling Brown Sugar, Damn Yankees, Mamma I Want to Sing, Magpie).
As a playwright, Maharaj has authored several plays, including Little Rock, a historical drama about the Little Rock Nine (2018 NY Times Critics’ Pick; 2015 Barrymore Award), Daisy, inspired by the life and legacy of the indomitable Daisy Lee Bates, and Hansberry/Baldwin (Semi-Finalist for the Eugene O’Neil Playwright Festival.)
He has been honored with the Woodie King Jr. Award for Outstanding Direction and four Vivian Robinson AUDELCO awards for his direction and choreography. Maharaj received eight Broadway World Philadelphia nominations, a nomination for the New York Innovative Theater Award as well a nomination for the S.A.L.T Award for Director of the year.
| Credit Type | Production | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Playwright | Diss Diss & Diss Dat | 2003-04 Season |
| Director | Diss Diss & Diss Dat | 2003-04 Season |
| Choreographer | Diss Diss & Diss Dat | 2003-04 Season |