Reena Dutt(I)

Reena Dutt is a New York and bi-coastal director of theatre, film and audio. She is known for carving lived-in relationships while inviting cultural nuance in unexpected ways. She is an alumna of AFI DWW+, Project Involve (Film Independent), Drama League and Lincoln Center Directors Lab (New York City), and a fellow with SFFilm, TAP, and LA Performance Practice. She brings with her a 1st Generation American point-of-view having roots in the Carolinas, South Asia and Arizona. Her father was an engineer and her mother an artist. She got hooked on entertainment after realizing how impacting art can be to create empathy. She merits the late Mel Olson, her Speech&Debate coach and Drama teacher for changing her path in life to pursue entertainment.

Her films as a director and producer have screened at Sundance, LAFF, Outfest, Frameline, Cucalorous, NBCUniversal, BET, PBS/Latino and HBO. Notable collaborations as a producer include Lulu Wang, John Legend and Tanuj Chopra.In theatre, her Broadway debut was at MTC on The Collaboration starring Paul Bettany and Jeremy Pope, led by Kwame Kwei Armah. She has directed/developed regionally at The Public, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, ART, East West Players, Central Square, and Theatre Mu to name a few, and she credits her mentor, Jo Bonney, for demonstrating that kindness and collaboration creates memorable leadership. As an actor, she trained in the Meisner Technique at the William Esper Studio in New York City with Terry Knickerbocker. She has had the honor of working with Albert Brooks, Henry Winkler, and Kelsey Grammer.