Rohina Malik is a British-born American playwright, actress, speaker, story teller and educator of South Asian descent. She is also the artistic director for Medina Theater Collective.

Rohina Malik
Photograph of Rohina Malik after her play Unveiled in Berwyn, IL
Photograph of Rohina Malik after her play Unveiled in Berwyn, IL
BornLondon, England
OccupationPlaywright, Solo Performer, Educator
NationalityAmerican
Period2008-present
Notable worksUnveiled, Yasmina's Necklace, The Mecca Tales

Biography

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She was born and raised in London, England, where she showed great interest in theatre and drama. Her father is Pakistani while her mother is Indian.[1] She attended Brentford School for Girls in Hounslow, London where her interest in theater was developed.[2] At the age of 15, she migrated to Chicago with her family and attended Niles North High School in Skokie, Illinois, where she wrote and performed in several theatrical plays. [3]

She went to DePaul University completing a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Religions and is a certified Montessori teacher.

Her career in playwrighting and performance arts started in 2008 after taking a class on writing a one-person play with Tekki Lominicki in April 2008. During the same class, she started writing her much-acclaimed play Unveiled. She was offered at the end of the class to perform a sample of her play in the Fillet of Solo Festival at Live Bait Theater in July 2008. The next year, Unveiled had its world premiere at the 16th Street Theater, directed by Ann Filmer. Malik was offered a one-year residency at The Goodman Theater, in the inaugural group of The Goodman's Playwrights Unit.

Since 2010, Malik regularly performs her play Unveiled in universities, churches, synagogues, interfaith and other places of worship to open up discussion about hate crimes, identity, tolerance and discrimination.[4][5][6]

She has also participated as a keynote speaker at several conferences throughout North America including at a TedX and CueBall event.

Full productions

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Unveiled

  • June 2019 - Regional Premiere performed at Watch Tower Theater[7] Addison TX
  • February 2018 - "Unveiled" performed at Greater Boston Stage Company[8]
  • January 2018 - "Unveiled" Performed at New Repertory Theatre as part of 2017-18 Season [9]
  • June/July 2016 - South Africa Premiere of "Unveiled" "[1]" at 2016 National Arts Festival, Grahamstone & "[2]" 969 Festival, Johannesburg performed by Gulshan Mia
  • June 2015 - New York Premiere of "Unveiled" at Voyage Theater Company [10]
  • September 2014 - "Unveiled" performed at Edison Theatre as part of the Ovations Series[11]
  • April 2013 - "Unveiled" performed at Crossroads Theater Company, NJ[12]
  • 2012 - Theater Project Baltimore
  • Sept 2011 - Fourth Production of "Unveiled" at Brava Theater, San Francisco, CA [13]
  • 2010 - Third Production of "Unveiled" at Next Theater Company in Evanston, IL
  • March 2010 - Chicago Premiere of "Unveiled" at Victory Gardens Theater [14]
  • May/June 2009 - "Unveiled" was extended for an additional month at 16th Street Theater in Berwyn, IL
  • April/May 2009 – World Premiere of "Unveiled" at 16th Street Theater in Berwyn, IL

Yasmina's Necklace

  • September 2019 - New Jersey Premiere "Yasmina's Necklace" at Premiere Stages at Bauer Boucher Theatre Center [15]
  • October 2017 - Chicago Premiere of "Yasmina's Necklace" at Goodman Theater (October/November 2017)[16]
  • January 2017 - St. Louis Premiere of "Yasmina's Necklace" at Mustard Seed Theater Jan/Feb 2017
  • January 2016 - World Premiere of "Yasmina's Necklace" at 16th Street Theater in Berwyn, IL

The Mecca Tales

  • November 2017 - "Mecca Tales" at Crossroads Theater, NJ[17]
  • October 2017 - "Mecca Tales" at Voyage Theater, New York[18]
  • October 2014 - Chicago Dramatists announces the World Premiere of "The Mecca Tales" in March/April 2015[19]

The Hijabis

April 2022 - Hope College

March 2022 - “The Hijabis” at George Fox University, Oregon [20]

February 2022 - World Premiere of “The Hijabis” at Carroll College, Montana[21]

Nomination and awards

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Career highlights

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  • July 2019 - Commissioned by Big Bridge Theatre Consortium (BBTC) to be produced in 2021-22[26]
  • December 2018 - Speaker at a Ted X Chicago event, "Power of the Pen" Chicago USA
  • Spring 2018 - Alice Kaplan Institute for the Humanities Artist in Residence, Northwestern University, USA
  • September 2016 - Accepted as an artistic affiliate at American Blues Theater, Chicago IL
  • March 2016 - Commissioned by The Hypocrites to develop new play inspired by Syrian musician responses to the refugee crisis.[27]
  • September 2011 – 2017 – Accepted as one of the 4 new additions to Chicago Dramatist's resident playwrights[28]
  • January 2015 - Accepted as an artistic associate at Voyage Theater Company, New York, NY
  • November/December 2011 – Collaborated with Tanya Saracho and Elizabeth Berg in "Our Holiday Stories" which was produced by 16th Street Theater, Berwyn IL
  • May 2011 – Playwright Unit Series; "The Mecca Tales", Goodman Theatre commission in Chicago, IL
  • 2010/11 – Accepted as one of the four playwrights in the inaugural Playwrights Unit at Goodman Theatre in Chicago, IL
  • 2010 – Accepted as an artistic associate at 16th Street Theater, Berwyn IL
  • December 2009 – New Stage Series; "Yasmina's Necklace" Goodman Theatre in Chicago, IL
  • August 2008 – Workshopped her play "Unveiled" with Rivendale Theatre
  • July 2008 – Performed sample of "Unveiled" at the Filet of Solo Festival

Selected works

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Publications

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  • Yasmina's Necklace - Full-Length Play by Rohina Malik (2018) Published by Dramatic Publishing - ISBN 9781619592070
  • Unveiled - One Woman Play about Muslim Women (2013)

Other activities

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She was requested to provide video based inspirational reflections for 30 Good Minutes (a weekly multifaith program on WTTW (Channel 11)) PBS in Chicago. Her reflections will be shown throughout 2012 as part of the weekly program.

She has performed her play "Unveiled" at various interfaith events, high schools and universities for example Princeton, Yale, University of Chicago, Brigham Young University, University of Oklahoma, Columbia University, Harvard University, University of Illinois, Stanford University.

She gave the keynote address at Dartmouth College for MLK Event in Jan 2016 [29]

References

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  1. ^ Rohina Malik brings ‘Unveiled’ to Edison Sept. 27
  2. ^ "Yasmina's Necklace". www.goodmantheatre.org/. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  3. ^ Brachear, Manya A (19 May 2011). "Muslim playwright, actress returns to high school stage for one-woman show". Chicago Tribune.
  4. ^ Fink, Community Contributor Ann. "The Critically-Acclaimed "Unveiled: A One Woman Play by Rohina Malik" Returns to the MAC for One Day only, Oct. 15". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 25 November 2017. {{cite news}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  5. ^ "Lied Center reveals 2017-18 season lineup". Lawrence.com. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  6. ^ "Unveiled: A one woman play - Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods". Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  7. ^ url=https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/performing-arts/2019/06/06/making-its-texas-debut-rohina-malik-s-one-woman-show-pulls-the-veil-off-muslim-stereotypes/
  8. ^ url=http://www.greaterbostonstage.org/unveiled.html
  9. ^ American Theater Editors (28 February 2017). "New Repertory Theatre Announces 2017-18 Season". www.americantheatre.org. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  10. ^ "Theater Review (NYC Off-Off-Broadway): 'Unveiled' Written and Performed by Rohina Malik". 6 June 2015.
  11. ^ Otten, Liam (4 September 2014). "Rohina Malik brings 'Unveiled' to Edison".
  12. ^ Sommers, Michael (2013). "To Raise the Curtain, New Jersey Theaters Are Pulling Together". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  13. ^ "Muslim writer-actress Rohina Malik on 'Unveiled'". 8 September 2011.
  14. ^ "Review: Unveiled/Victory Gardens Fresh Squeezed | Newcity Stage". 29 March 2010.
  15. ^ ""Yasmina's Necklace" Glows with Artistry". 17 September 2019.
  16. ^ Greene, Morgan. "Goodman announces cast of 'View From the Bridge,' 'Yasmina's Necklace'". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  17. ^ "Crossroads' last hurrah on Livingston is to Sarah Vaughan". MY CENTRAL JERSEY. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  18. ^ BWW News Desk. "Rohina Malik's THE MECCA TALES to Make NYC Premiere at The Sheen Center". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  19. ^ Oleksinski, Johnny. "Chicago Dramatists announces 2014-15 season". www.chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  20. ^ Stewart, Megan (26 March 2022). "New play explores experiences of Muslim-American women, tackles universal themes". pamplinmedia.com. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  21. ^ Record, Marga Lincoln for the Independent (10 February 2022). "Carroll presents play about being Muslim in the US". Helena Independent Record. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  22. ^ "Local theater companies nominated for annual IRNE theater awards". Belmont Citizen Herald.
  23. ^ "League of Professional Theatre Women Announces 2018 Awards". American Theatre.
  24. ^ "Jeff Awards". www.jeffawards.org. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  25. ^ "YWCA Evanston/North Shore Honors Alaka Wali, Mercedes Fernandez, Rohina Malik, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority - YWCA Evanston/North Shore". www.ywca.org. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  26. ^ BWW News Desk. "Theatre Consortium Selects Playwright Rohina Malik For Series Dedicated To Interfaith Dialogue". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  27. ^ "Hypocrites announce 2016-17 season". Chicago Tribune.
  28. ^ "Chicago Dramatists Announces New Resident Playwrights". September 14, 2011. Theater in Chicago.
  29. ^ "MLK events feature playwright Rohina Malik as keynote speaker | The Dartmouth". thedartmouth.com. Archived from the original on 27 January 2016.