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About Mayah
Mayah Lourdes Burke (she/her) is a Queer, Caribbean-American artist, born and raised in NYC. Her art, in all hyphens, focuses on building community through healing and finding common ground in the human experience.
As a director, Mayah is dedicated to transforming theater into a nurturing space for Black artists. Coining herself as an Artivist, her mission is to uplift plays that will create impact and change, on both the creatives and their audience. Whether that be on a micro level by having a marginalized group finally be seen on the big stage, or a macro level of discussing current events, Mayah is always ready to push the envelope and unpack today's world.
As a director, Mayah is dedicated to transforming theater into a nurturing space for Black artists. Coining herself as an Artivist, her mission is to uplift plays that will create impact and change, on both the creatives and their audience. Whether that be on a micro level by having a marginalized group finally be seen on the big stage, or a macro level of discussing current events, Mayah is always ready to push the envelope and unpack today's world.
As a producer, Mayah is a pioneer of New Works, working on festivals like NAMT"s annual New Works Fest or the Maker's Ensemble's Short Play Fest. She seeks to be a calming support system in the chaos of theatre, and has a special knack for pivoting quickly and effieciently. Mayah brings audiences unforgettable shows at loved venues like 54 Below and The Green Room 42. She was a lead producer of "The Ghost Writers" festival for the theatre community in her hometown of Staten Island, NY.
As a producer, Mayah is a pioneer of New Works, working on festivals like NAMT"s annual New Works Fest or the Maker's Ensemble's Short Play Fest. She seeks to be a calming support system in the chaos of theatre, and has a special knack for pivoting quickly and effieciently. Mayah brings audiences unforgettable shows at loved venues like 54 Below and The Green Room 42. She was a lead producer of "The Ghost Writers" festival for the theatre community in her hometown of Staten Island, NY.
Mayah's original works, including "4SZNS", "Survival Mode", and her TYA show "Jukebox Time Machine!", all center around the theme of mental health, a cause she passionately advocates for. By focusing on these crucial issues, Mayah aims to amplify voices that are often marginalized and to foster understanding and empathy through her art, creating spaces for dialogue, healing, and empowerment for all ages.
Beyond the stage, she has nurtured young talent as a teaching artist, focusing on social-emotional learning through theater. She believes in the power of Artivism and that educating children about their emotions and the world around them is the best way to set them up for success.
Her passion for dance shines through as a former dance teacher at the New York Dance Company. Mayah's direction is often seen as choreographical because dancing where she got her start on stage at just two years old!
At heart, Mayah is also a vocalist and actor, and can be seen performing throughout NYC and beyond. Recently, she has portrayed Joanne in RENT, and is a regular performer at 54 Below.
With an impressive portfolio of performances, productions, and educational endeavors, Mayah continues to make a profound impact on the New York arts scene.
Let’s make something meaningful together!