Justin Emeka

Justin Emeka (DIRECTOR) is a director, writer, actor and teacher who uses artistic and cultural innovation to create high-quality, thoughtful, entertaining theatre specializing in new approaches to "classic” texts, as well as imaginative staging of popular and emerging playwrights.  Off-Broadway credits include A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM and ROMEO AND JULIET at Classical Theatre of Harlem; Regional theatre productions include: STICK FLY at Intiman Theatre in Seattle; DETROIT '67 and JULIUS X at Karamu House; A RAISIN IN THE SUN at ArtsWest Theatre.  At Oberlin College he directed Arthur Miller's DEATH OF A SALESMAN starring Avery Brooks; Dominique Morisseau's FOLLOW ME TO NELLIE'S; Shakespeare's MACBETH; Alice Childress's WEDDING BAND; and Gabriel Emeka's THE COMPROMISE.  At the University of Washington Ethnic Cultural Theatre,  he directed Tennessee William's THE GLASS MENAGERIE; Amiri Baraka's DUTCHMAN; and Aishah Rahman's UNFINISHED WOMEN CRY IN NO MAN'S LAND WHILE A BIRD DIES IN A GUILDED CAGE. At Yale Repertory Theater he served as the movement coordinator and played the role of Edgar in a unique African-American production of KING LEAR starring Avery Brooks.   At the Oberlin Summer Theater Festival he directed and/or performed in A RAISIN IN THE SUN, CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE OF JOY, and THE GLASS MENAGERIE. As a writer he received awards in playwriting from the Seattle Arts Commission, and screenwriting from the Washington State Film Commission.  He recently published an essay "Seeing Shakespeare through Brown Eyes" in the book Black Acting Methods:  Critical Approaches.   Mr. Emeka received his MFA in directing from the University of Washington and is a Drama League Fellow.  Currently, he is a tenured professor of Theatre (Directing & Acting) and Africana Studies at Oberlin College.