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waiting: a queer black tragicomedy in two acts

On July 13, HB Residency Artist Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj presents waiting: a queer black tragicomedy in two acts, his project loosely and queerly inspired by Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot.

HB Residency: waiting: a queer black tragicomedy in two acts

HB Residency: Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj’s waiting: a queer black tragicomedy in two acts
Sunday, July 13 at 3pm
HB Playwrights Theatre | 124 Bank Street
Pay-What-You-Wish, $30 Recommended

About the Project:

waiting: a queer black tragicomedy in two acts is loosely and queerly inspired by Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. In waiting, drag queens, Chi-Chi and Cornbread, are trapped on the rooftop of the small drag club “Anal,” which is partially submerged under water. The club is in St. Bernard Parish, New Orleans during the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina late August after the levees break in 2005. Surrounded by a river of dirty water with trash, dead animals, bodies, and hungry gators, the two queens wait to be rescued.

Subsequently, a duplicitous prison guard from the Orleans Parish Prison, Kash-Money, along with his silent “assistant” Blues, floats down the river and pauses to converse with Chi-Chi and Cornbread. Kash-Money has used the hurricane to kidnap and imprison Blues. Kash poses to Chi-Chi and Cornbread an impossible choice, leading to a series of events that test each character’s morality, humanity, and spirituality.

Throughout the play, Chi-Chi is confronted by her inner-child, Zion, who wants to heal Chi-Chi from past childhood traumas. So continues a vexing cycle where the two friends debate life, faith, Blackness, queerness, the storm, and when or if they will be rescued, leading to a climactic ending.

 

About the Artist:

Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj is a multi-disciplinary American theater artist, administrator, and cultural activist who investigates the complexities of narrative, perception, identity, political, social, and community storytelling. His research-driven work explores BIPOC narratives that have been historically bypassed in the American Theatre and recuperates Black histories through documentary-based practices. He is an alumnus of the Art Equity BIPOC Leadership Circle in partnership with the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University, member of the Metropolitan Opera / American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) DEI Council, a member of the Geva Theatre Engagement Committee, and currently on the Board of Directors for the National Queer Theatre. He is the former Associate Artistic Producer at Milwaukee Repertory Theater, and the former Artistic Director of New Freedom Theatre and American Stage Theatre Company. He is the former Stage Director and Artistic / Community Consultant for the inaugural Opera Theatre of St. Louis New Works Collective in partnership with the Mellon Foundation and the Edward Jones Foundation. Mr. Maharaj is the Founder and former Director of Artistic Programming for the Voices at the River Biennial Latinx and African American Playwright’s Residency Program, in partnership with Arkansas Repertory Theatre and the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. He is currently the Assistant Professor of Stage Direction (Musical Theatre & Theatre) at SUNY Geneseo.

As a storyteller, Mr. Maharaj has worked on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and at many of our nation’s top regional theaters, and he has been honored with numerous awards, including the prestigious Woodie King Jr. Award, four AUDELCO Awards, and many more. He has also been hailed as a New York Times Critics Pick.

Auditing Classes

Auditing a class at HB Studio, whether virtually online or in-person at 120 Bank Street, is a great opportunity to understand what the HB experience is all about. Auditors will get to see our top level faculty work one-on-one with students. While generally non-participatory, these accessibly-priced sample classes provide valuable insight into the unique instruction techniques and classroom environments that make HB Studio special.

Once you browse our calendar of in-person and online classes, we encourage you to audit as many classes as necessary over the first three weeks of our semester to better decide which class (or classes!) you want to join for the semester.

Audits are only $20 and are non-refundable and non-transferable. You’ll need to confirm your attendance by submitting this form at least three days in advance of your chosen date.

For in-person audits, we will send you a confirmation email to show at the door when you show up for your class. For online audits, you will receive instructions and a Zoom link from our registration staff after you submit this form.

How to Sign Up

  1. Explore our catalog of in-person and online classes to find the subject, instructor and date that works for you!
  2. Fill out this Audit a Class form at least 3 days in advance of your chosen date to let us know when you’ll be joining us.
  3. Attend your chosen class … then decide if you’re ready to join us for the upcoming semester!

Audit a Class

Audit Guidelines

Payment Policy for Audits
Payments for audits must be made in-full three days prior to your chosen audit date. Payments are made online within the HB Studio Audit a Class form.

Full-Class Attendance
You are expected to attend the entire class session when auditing. Leaving early or arriving late can be disruptive to both the instructor and fellow students. If you know you need to leave early, please let us know so we can relay the message to the instructor and their assistant in the class. You will be in the class as an observer, not a participant.

Single Class Audit
You may audit a specific class only once per term. However, you may audit different classes within the same term.

Punctuality
Please arrive on time. Late arrivals can be disruptive and you may not be allowed entry once the class has started. Please arrive 15 minutes before the beginning of the class you wish to audit.

Non-Refundable Audits
Audit fees are non-refundable. The purpose of auditing is for you to evaluate whether you wish to enroll with a particular instructor.

Online Audits
When auditing an online class, you must keep your camera off and your mic muted (unless the teacher invites you to introduce yourself). Before your online audit, please review our Zoom User Guide for Auditors.

Key Students, Studio Assistants, F-1 Students
Contact venuestaff@hbstudio.org for further information.

Restrictions
Audits are not available for individuals under 18, except for designated Young People classes.

Please email us at audit@hbstudio.org for any additional questions or information.

Late Registration for Summer Classes

Summer Term has begun, but spots remain open in select Summer Term 2025 classes and workshops – register now before they close!

HB Studio offers both online classes and in-person classes at the Studio. Before your first class, please review the information outlined on the relevant page(s): Online Classes | In-Person Classes. Classes are in NYC’s Eastern Time Zone.


Weekly Classes

HB Studio offers professional classes in the dramatic arts for committed actors, directors, and playwrights—beginning and experienced—to hone their skills in a community of peers and mentors. In the spirit of our founders, Uta Hagen and Herbert Berghof, we seek to foster an environment where creative freedom prevails and artists are challenged to take their work to the next level.

Browse classes in the navigation menu to the left (desktop) or above (mobile).

HB offers a progressive sequence of ongoing weekly classes, which meet for 10-week terms four terms a year. Some classes are offered in two 5-week parts (Part A & Part B) which can be taken independently or together.

Offerings include:

Choose one class at a time, or design your own part-time or full-time schedule.

  • ACTING AUDITIONS for advanced classes are held monthly, or submit a reel …learn more
  • AUDITS: Observe any of our Online Weekly Classes one time per instructor for $20.00 per audit. Currently, audits are only available for Online Classes…learn more
  • WEEKLY SCHEDULE: To browse classes by day of week, view the calendar
  • HB FACULTY is comprised of practicing theater artists…browse classes by teacher

Workshops

Special seminars and master classes are offered between terms, and a variety of short-term skill-building and professional development workshops are offered throughout the year.

Full-Time Programs

For those seeking a full-time training program, The Uta Hagen Institute at HB Studio offers The Hagen Core Training (one-year conservatory) and The Hagen Summer Intensive (6 weeks).

Registration

  • Summer Term runs 10 weeks, June 12-Aug 22. (No classes June 19 nor July 4)  
    • In-person Classes and Online Classes are available
    • Most classes run for 10 weeks, while some classes are offered in two 5-week parts (Part A & Part B) which can be taken independently or together:
      • Summer Part A: June 12 – July 18 (no classes June 19 nor July 4)
      • Summer Part B: July 19 – Aug 22)
        • A $15 discount will apply when registering for both parts. Sign up for either Part independently (5 weeks each), or join both for the full 10-week term. You may join Part B without taking Part A.
  • Registration for WORKSHOPS is ongoing – check back regularly for new offerings.

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT:* Get 5% OFF Summer Term Weekly Classes with code SUMMER25W, valid through May 31, 2025. You are prohibited from using the Early Bird Discount code when receiving a Union Discount.

UNION DISCOUNT:* AEA, AGVA, AGMA, SAG/AFTRA, WGA, UFT, and Dramatist Guild Union Members or international equivalent receive 15% OFF Summer Term Weekly Classes through May 31 and 10% OFF thereafter. Discount will automatically apply for HB-verified Union Members. To become verified, email a copy of your active union membership card to registration@hbstudio.org. You are prohibited from using the Early Bird Discount code when receiving a Union Discount.

*Discounts valid for weekly classes only; not valid for workshops, programs or merchandise. Discounts cannot be combined nor applied retroactively. Union discount applies for classes taken by cardholders only and cannot be used to enroll family or friends. APPLYING MULTIPLE DISCOUNTS IS PROHIBITED.

Descuento de NYC Latin Media: Los miembros de NYC Latin Media pueden auditar* gratuitamente una clase o taller en el estudio y recibir un 20% de descuento** en todas clases del estudio y talleres. El descuento será aplicado automáticamente para miembros verificados por HB. Para convertirse en usuario verificado, debe mandar un correo electrónico a inscripciones@hbstudio.org con detalles de su membresía de NYC Latin Media.

*Incluye una sesión gratuita por instructor. No se permite auditar múltiples veces la misma clase. **Los descuentos son solamente válidos para clases semanales y talleres, no son válidos para programas o mercancías. Los descuentos no pueden ser combinados ni se aplicarán con efecto retroactivo. El descuento para los socios es aplicado para clases tomadas solamente por miembros de NYC Latin Media y no puede ser utilizado para inscribir familiares o amigos.

Term Dates for Weekly Classes: 2024-2025

  • FALL 2024: Sept 16 – Nov 26, 2023 (no class Oct 14 & Nov 5) | Registration opens Aug 1, 2024
  • WINTER 2025: Jan 6 – March 17, 2025 (no class Jan 20) | Registration opens Nov. 1, 2024
  • SPRING 2025: March 24 – June 2, 2025 (no class May 26) | Registration opens Feb 5, 2025
  • SUMMER 2025: June 12 – Aug 22, 2025 (no class June 19 & July 4) | Registration opens May 1, 2025

The Uta Hagen Institute Schedule:

The game of make-believe is a crucial game for the artist.

—Herbert Berghof

Ilse Pfeifer teaching speaking voice class and clowning dramatic arts
Ilse Pfeifer teaching speaking voice and clown

About HB Studio Classes in the Dramatic Arts

For those just starting out or those seeking to reconnect with the basics, Level 1 classes are open to all without audition, placement, or prerequisite. Classes at Levels 2 and 3 build on the foundational skills addressed at Level 1. For those at an advanced level of training and for the professional actor seeking a place to work out, renew, stretch, and explore, we offer ongoing classes at the Studio Practice Level. Level 2, Level 3, and Studio Practice acting classes require audition or placement.

Actors interested in intensive, fast-track, full-time training in the dramatic arts are encouraged to apply for the Uta Hagen Institute’s one-year Core Training or 6-week Summer Intensive program. In these programs, you train as an ensemble in a rigorous, integrated sequence of daily classes.

HB Studio also offers classes in Playwriting, Directing, and acting classes for kids and teens aged 9 and up. The Studio also offers performance opportunities for playwrights, directors, and actors to collaborate on readings and work-in-progress productions.

Before You Register

We strongly encourage all students to acquaint themselves with the policies regarding refunds, credits, and transfers before registering for classes. Students may audit classes prior to enrollment. There are no refunds or credits once you register and the class is under way, except in the case of serious illness or withdrawal for military service. Requests for these exceptions must be made within three weeks of the first day the student is absent from class.

Registration with HB Studio is non-transferable.

Read more about HB Studio’s Policies at Registration & Policies.