
Lavina Jadhwani

Lavina Jadhwani is a Chicago-based director and adaptor. Her adaptations include The Sitayana (a solo performance piece based on the Hindu epic, The Ramayana); VANYA (or “That's Life!”), adapted from Chekhov; and Shakuntala, an East-Meets-West Love Story. She maintains relationships with Rasaka Theatre Company (Artistic Director, 2007-2013), Silk Road Rising (Artistic Associate since 2006), and Oregon Shakespeare Festival (where she is currently the Phil Killian Directing Fellow). Lavina is the founder and curator of the Diverse Directors Database and The Mildly Rehearsed Players, a student-run troupe at DePaul University that performs Shakespeare based on original practices. She is a graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University (MFA, Directing), Carnegie Mellon University (BFA, Scenic Design; Masters, Arts Management), and the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. For more information, visit www.lavinajadhwani.com
Essays
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Chicago director Lavina Jadhwani follows up on her previous HowlRound article about color-conscious casting, discussing how to create a safe space while color-conscious directing.
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Director Lavina Jadhwani ask three questions, addressing how color-conscious casting impacts the story being told.
Blognews, trends, insights
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Director Lavina Jadhwani shares her experience as an Asian American director, advocating the need for more spaces and opportunities for Asian American theatre artists to collaborate together.
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I offered to cut "Henry IV, Part One" down to ninety minutes, schedule two rehearsals and one performance, and find a part for anyone who wanted to participate. Eighteen actors jumped on board, and I was determined to not direct them in this play.