Reena Dutt Headshot

Reena Dutt

Get Reena Dutt Email Alerts

Be the first to get news, photos, videos & more.

Reena Dutt BIO

Reena Dutt is a city girl with a country soul who believes in creating with a conscience, on and off the stage and screen. Dutt is dedicated to new and reimagined texts that catapult polarizing conversations through unexpected stories with the bodies, voices and life experiences of the under-heard. Being born in Jersey as a child of immigrants, and raised in the South (NC) and Southwest (AZ), she has a pure love for all the stories born and bred through the uniqueness of the American Diaspora.

Dutt was the first South Asian Community Liaison at the Ford Amphitheater in Los Angeles and served on the board of Theatre of NOTE. She produced panel discussion connecting 99-seat theater to large theatre houses in the LA area at the Hollywood Fringe Festival and acted as an Associate Producer for Directors Lab West/Connects during the pandemic.

New York: ACCIDENTAL FEMINIST by Alaudin Ullah (Development, The Public), BRUISED by Vivienne Glance (Development, Playwrights Realm), DirectorFest (A.R.T. New York, Drama League), UNTITLED ELEGY PLAY (Development, New Dramatists). Regional: GUARDS AT THE TAJ (Chester Theatre Company), THE USHERS (Development, Amphibian Stage), AMERICAN FAST (Constellations Screen and Stage), THE HOMBRES by Tony Meneses (Artists Repertory Theatre), REFUGEE RHAPSODY by Yussef El Guindi (S/R, Artists Repertory Theatre). West Coast: UC Riverside, Greenway Court Theatre, East West Players, Sacred Fools. Assistant/Associate Director: Manhattan Theatre Club (dir. Kwame Kwai-Armah, MTC, TBA), The Public (dir. Candis Jones, The Public), The Fountain/EWP Players (dir. Jennifer Chang, The Fountain Theatre), The Geffen (dir. Jo Bonney, Geffen Playhouse). Theatre Fellowships: Drama League NY Directing Fellow, LCT Directors Lab, Directors Lab West.

Dutt is also a film director and producer having screened films at over 80 festivals worldwide including Sundance, LAFF, Outfest, Frameline, Cucalorous, NBCUniversal, BET, PBS/Latino and HBO. Her most recent short film, FOUND, brings voice to transracial adoption through fictional storytelling from the adoptee’s point of view, and is currently touring the festival circuit in conjunction with private events with adoption organizations across the country. Dutt directed TOO MANY BODIES, a socially driven music and dance piece advocating for gun reform, which was picked up by NoRAnow.org and Survivors Empowered and received numerous awards in music video and social justice categories. She directed 3 PUFFS OF GOLD, a magical realism piece about domestic violence, and was a finalist for New Filmmakers Los Angeles: On Location competition with her film "SNAPSHOT!" (2011) which explored Angelinos and their diverse roots. Notable collaborations as a producer include Lulu Wang, John Legend, Tanuj Chopra and Ravi Kapoor. Film Fellowships: Project Involve at Film Independent, SFFilm, and Trans Atlantic Partners with the Goethe Institut (Berlin).

Reena Dutt News


Chalk Repertory Theatre & Ensemble Studio Theatre/LA Present World Premiere Productions PANG SPA & TWO STOP


Experience the premiere of PANG SPA and TWO STOP, companion productions centered around the 1992 LA Uprising, presented by Chalk Rep and EST/LA during AAPI Heritage Month from May 2 to June 9.

WAM Theatre Launches BIPOC Production Apprenticeship Program


WAM Theatre has launhced a BIPOC Production Apprenticeship Program as part of its 15th Anniversary Season. The paid opportunity is designed to provide career development opportunities from college to the field for women-identifying  and non-binary theatre artists from historically marginalized groups.  

WAM Theatre Unveils 15th Anniversary Season


​WAM Theatre has unveiled its 2024 season centering new paths and brave futures, through four innovative theatrical stories and a special 15th Anniversary Benefit.

THIS IS NOT A TRUE STORY Comes to the Los Angeles Theatre Center Next Month


The world premiere of This Is Not a True Story, written by Preston Choi and directed by Reena Dutt, is set for a five-week run, September 16 through October 15, at The Los Angeles Theatre Center. Two low-priced previews take place on September 14 and September 15.

World Premieres & More Set for Latino Theater Company 2023 Fall Season


Latino Theater Company will partner with two Los Angeles-based Asian American companies and San Francisco’s Magic Theatre to close out 2023 with a fall season of exciting premieres at downtown’s Los Angeles Theatre Center.

Chester Theatre Company to Present GUARDS AT THE TAJ This Month


Chester Theatre Company (CTC) will present Guards at the Taj by Rajiv Joseph, at Chester Town Hall Theatre, 15 Middlefield Road, Chester, MA. Guards at the Taj runs July 6 to July 16, with performances Wednesday at 2pm, Thursday at 2pm and 7:30pm, Friday at 7:30pm, Saturday at 2pm and 7:30pm, and Sunday at 2pm.

Chester Theatre Company Reveals Casting For 2023 Season


Recently appointed Co-Producing Artistic Directors James Barry and Tara Franklin have announced the full casting for Chester Theatre Company’s 2023 season, the first under their direction. 

Museum Of Chinese In America Presents MOCA Cinema: Spotlight On Women Filmmakers


The Museum of Chinese in America has announced the first annual MOCA Cinema: Spotlight on Women Filmmakers. The festival will highlight a number of established and emerging Asian American filmmakers like Christine Choy, Violet Du Feng, Lulu Wang, Kit Zauhar, Shu-Ying Chung, and Reena Dutt. The festival will run from Wednesday, March 1st through Friday, March 10th, 2023. 

Photos: First Look at Coeurage Ensemble's RENT


Coeurage Ensemble presents its first in-person production since 2019 — a reimagined staging of Jonathan Larson’s ​Rent. This is also the first production under the leadership of new artistic director Amanda McRaven; it will be directed by Reena Dutt with Rebecca Graul serving as musical director. Check out photos here!

Coeurage Ensemble Presents Jonathan Larson's RENT Beginning This Month


Coeurage Ensemble, LA's Pay What You Want performance company, has announced its first in-person production since 2019 — a reimagined staging of Jonathan Larson's Rent.

Artists Rep Presents THE HOMBRES By Tony Meneses Next Month


Artists Repertory Theatre (ART) begins its 40th season on stage with The Hombres by Tony Meneses, a funny exploration into masculinity and the intimacy of male relationships. Performances run Sept. 10 through Oct. 9.    

Coeurage Ensemble to Present RENT as First Post-Lockdown Live Production


Coeurage Ensemble, LA's Pay What You Want performance company, has announced its first in person production since Under Milk Wood during the summer of 2019 — Jonathan Larson’s ​Rent.

Photos: DIRECTORFEST 2022 Presents THE SEVENTEETH CHAPEL & A NUMBER


The Drama League has released new production images from DirectorFest 2022 – a festival spotlighting the art of contemporary stage directing by an exciting new generation of talent, featuring brand new productions led by its current Directing Fellows.

Photos: First Look at The Drama League's DIRECTORFEST 2022


The Drama League’s Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, and Executive Director Bevin Ross, have released production images of the first two shows featured in DirectorFest 2022, a festival spotlighting the art of contemporary stage directing by an exciting new generation of talent, featuring brand new productions led by its current Directing Fellows.

The Drama League Announces Casting for DirectorFest 2022


The Drama League has announced today the casting for DirectorFest 2022, a festival focusing on the art of contemporary stage directing by an exciting new generation of talent, featuring brand new productions led by its current Directing Fellows.

Dates and Programming Announced for DirectorFest 2022


The Drama League has announced the dates and programming for DirectorFest 2022, a festival focusing on the art of contemporary stage directing by an exciting new generation of talent, featuring brand new productions led by its 2021 Directing Fellows.

Photos: Meet The 2021 Drama League Directing Fellows! Professionals Week Kick-Off at The Players Club


The Drama League Directors Project is the paramount mentoring and career development program for early-career stage directors. Since its founding in 1984, the Drama League's Directors Project has over 300 alumni working in all facets of entertainment ranging from Broadway to television.

BWW Interview: Director Reena Dutt's Keeping Real Busy with THE SITAYANA & Many Other Projects


East West Players, in partnership with San Francisco’s EnActe Arts and New York City’s Hypokrit Productions, presents the virtual world premiere of Lavina Jadhwani’s THE SITAYANA (OR HOW TO MAKE AN EXIT) beginning September 25, 2021. Lavina’s updated, upending take on the Hindu epic The Ramayana recounts the story through Sita’s eyes, rather than Ram’s eyes as in the original. Audiences attending the livestreams will be given a choice to one of the three unique incarnations of Sita. Had the chance to pose a few questions to THE SITAYANA’s director Reena Dutt on her history with THE SITAYANA and what she’s been doing the last pandemic months to keep creatively sane.  

East West Players Will Present the Virtual World Premiere of THE SITAYANA (OR 'HOW TO MAKE AN EXIT') in September


The Sitayana is an artful transposition of the Hindu epic The Ramayana told from Sita's point of view. Part epic tale, part coming of age story, The Sitayana is the ultimate breakup play. 

The Drama League Announces 2021-2022 Directing Fellowships and Residencies


The Drama League has announced the recipients of the 2021-2022 Drama League Directing Fellowship and Residencies, part of the umbrella of programs known as the Directors Project. Each recipient will receive financial and career development support, skill-honing workshops, and production opportunities at theaters across the country.

Get Reena Dutt Email Alerts

Be the first to get news, photos, videos & more.

Videos