Like many women creatives,
I do all the things.
All. The. Things.
And it’s been that way most of my life. As the Creative Director of Running Water Entertainment, LLC I’m a storyteller and believe a story tells you how it wants to be told, if you’re paying close enough attention. I’m best described as a multi-disciplinary artist. I enjoy challenging creative conversations that can exist across mediums and platforms.
I like to dig in and do the work in collaboration with passionate people who sincerely want to make a difference through the arts and artmaking with a purpose.
I’m grappling with stories of courage and bravery, tenderness, and emotional intimacy, in how my characters overcome adversity, live, love, and communicate. I seek to maintain a level of craft that’s respected among my peers in the arts and critical communities while engaging and welcoming those new to the arts— and maybe even new to the stories I tell.
My work is meant to be accessible, artful, and impactful; illuminating social issues, inspiring scholarship, and ushering the rituals of healing within the underrepresented communities my work often embraces. I see form and genre as merely a vehicle for creating meaningful connections with audiences of all ages, from all walks of life.
Thanks for stopping by,
Maya
Biography.
Maya Washington is a filmmaker (writer/director/producer), actress, writer, poet, Creative Director, and arts educator. Her production company, Running Water Entertainment, LLC produces and publishes award winning content with a global reach. Maya received a BA in Dramatic Arts from the University of Southern California and an MFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University. Her work has garnered awards from Jerome Foundation, Minnesota State Arts Board, Minnesota Film and Television, and others.
Originally from Minneapolis, MN, Maya began her creative career as a dancer turned musical theatre actor in the Twin Cities vibrant theatre community as a child performer. While at USC, she studied acting, directing, film and dramatic writing, which allowed her to explore her passion for storytelling in a variety of mediums. While pursuing her MFA, Maya worked full time as a professional actor and choreographer. She even managed to complete a national tour of William S. Yellow Robe’s Grandchildren of the Buffalo Soldiers, a co-production of Penumbra Theatre Company and Trinity Repertory Company, as she finished her MFA thesis in Poetry.
Her background, on stage/camera and behind the scenes, has given her the opportunity to work on everything from live theatre, public art, commercials and print ads, to web series, films and television. Maya is dedicated to multi-disciplinary projects that have a sense of “purpose” in the world, selecting stories that illuminate some aspect of the human experience that is untold, rarely seen, or might benefit from new approaches to issues of diversity and inclusion, primarily in America. Her film work has also allowed her projects to have a global reach, including Toronto, Budapest, Hong Kong, Berlin, and Rome.
On this website you will find updates regarding recent projects, events, publications, and performances. Her creative experience and zest for life have additionally yielded a successful career as a sought after speaker and workshop facilitator and panelist. Maya and her team are dedicated to quality and seek to inspire by helping individuals and organizations identify their core strengths and pursue their dreams courageously and creatively!