Raquel was born in Madrid – Spain, is also of Costa Rican descent and has lived most of her life in the U.S. As an interdisciplinary artist she holds an M.F.A. in Playwriting from Columbia University. B.F.A. in Theatre from University of Florida/New World School of the Arts Conservatory. She develops work as a writer, director, actor, dramaturge and is also a Butoh dance practitioner. Almazan is the Artistic Director of LA LUCHA ARTS, producing several of her original works, including LATIN IS AMERICA play cycle and lecture-performance, a collection of bi-lingual works in dedication to each Latin American country. Select play credits include: La Paloma Prisoner (upcoming: New York Theatre Workshop – Next Door Series), Arthur J. Harris Social Justice Prize/Arch and Bruce Brown LGBTQ Prize – workshop: Signature Theatre, readings: La Mama ETC, INTAR, Labyrinth and The Lark). CAFÉ (Kennedy Center’s Latinidad Award, Columbia Stages workshop directed by Elena Araoz). La Negra (Workshop: BRIC Arts-directed by Mei Ann Teo, readings; Lincoln Center w/ Classical Theatre of Harlem, Teatro Iati). When I Came Home (Pregones- PRTT) La Migra Taco Truck and Dar a Luz (off Broadway NYC Theatre Row, Aspen Stage, New Theatre-FL). Does that Feel Good to you My Lark?: A Doll’s House Adaptation (Bushwick Starr reading/New Georges – Audrey residency, directed by Miranda Haymon). Cross//Roads: Re-framing the Immigrant Narrative (commissioned workshop: La Micro Theatre). She has been awarded a Professional Development residency with the Eugene O’Neill Center Playwrights Conference and Core Apprentice residency, affiliated writer with The Playwrights’ Center.
Select additional plays include: The Hopefulness/Esperanza (recipient of the Kate Neal Kinley Playwriting Fellowship, workshops: Rising Circle Theatre Collective INKtank Lab- at Theatre Row off Broadway, Teatro Iati). El Odio De un Pais (commissioned workshop: Pangea World Theatre/New Theatre). Glossy Page Pimps (directed by Michael Garces, commissioned by Miami Light Project – workshop). Ur-Faust (performer/dramaturge for multi-media adaptation, New World Stages, FL and tour to Hyterio Theatre in Athens, Greece). Solo shows include: Porning the Planet: The De-Sensitization of a Nation (dramaturgy by Penny Arcade, Dixon Place and Pangea World Theatre-National Performance Network Tour, funded by NPN residency program) She Wolves: Women in Sex, Death and Rebirth (P.S. 122, NYC Fringe Festival).
Film: Feature directorial debut with the mockumentary White Alligator (International Puerto Rican Heritage Film Festival, Art of Brooklyn Film Festival, International Bled Film Festival Slovenia *Best Actress Award.) Writer’s Lab with National Association of Latin Independent Producers for her feature screenplay Death of the Doll (short – Boyle Heights Latina Independent Film Extravaganza in L.A. and Naked Angels Theatre Reading Series. Grants: National Association of Latino Arts and Culture, Map Fund + The Ford Foundation (associate artist), Network of Ensemble Theatres Travel Grant, Columbia’s Deans Travel Grant, Manhattan Community Fund, Miami Dade Cultural Affairs, Florida Arts and The Artist Access Grant.
Some noted roles include Alicia Watkins on Limitless opposite Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. Rosa Heredia on The Blacklist, opposite James Spader; Maricela on Law & Order: SVU and Rita Campos on White Collar, a Cuban exile opposite Cristina Ricci on PAN AM, additional roles on Blue Bloods, Michael J. Fox Show. Lady MacBeth in MacBeth, and Mrs. Papov in Chekov’s The Bear. At El Museo del Barrio, she played the lead in Escaping Juarez, Deviant Borders as the male Chamuco, (New World Theatre Mass.) Reading of leading role in The Mother f**ker with the Hat directed by Stephen Adly Guirgis. Collaborating with Bill T. Jones on Marc Bamuthi Joseph’s libretto workshop for MOVE; playing the role of Glenda with Opera Philadelphia. She has performed in over 100 venues, including The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, The Actors Studio, La Mama, City Center, Repertorio Espanol, and films that screened at Cannes, HBO NYLIFF and several international film festivals.
As an Activist Artist, she participates at social- political conferences, including United Nations World Health Day, (two time Aspen Institute Panelists), International Women’s Playwrights Conference (Stockholm, Sweden and Santiago, Chile) Hemispheric Institute Conference and in Rome, Italy for World Theatre Day -Performing Gender and Violence Conference, National Women’s Studies Conference, National Performance Network and Alternate Roots. Playwright for Here to Be Seen: Women in Justice, collaboration with formerly incarcerated women & DA’s Re-entry task force. Performance Workshops: Patricia Ariza, Susan Grace Cohen, Lee Michael Cohen, (Shakespeare with Adrian Noble, Peter Craze + Andy Goldberg + Ian Hersey), Laban, Grotowski, Movement and Directing. She has also trained in Butoh, Biomechanics, Suzuki, Improv, Clowning and Mask Work. Writing Development Workshops: David Henry Hwang, Lynn Nottage, Theresa Rebeck, Charles Mee, Edward Albee, Horton Foote, Morgan Jenness, Julie Harris, Naomi Ilizuka, and Carmen Rivera.
Arts Educator to thousands of youth and adults: Is the youth program director at City Lore. Teaches playwriting at Marymount Manhattan College. Has facilitated with Columbia University, New York University, Barnard College, Manhattan Theatre Club, Brooklyn Academy of Music, DreamYard, Repertorio Espanol, Epic Theatre, LEAP, Art Spring to incarcerated women in prison; as well as with several marginalized communities through the Theatre of the Oppressed forum theatre process. She is the founder of several original art programs. Almazan is a proud member of The Dramatist Guild, NALAC, SAG-AFTRA, and is the President of the board of The Independent Theatre Fund.
With Poetic Theater Productions:
Co-Presenter and Featured Artist for Ascención: Celebrating the Movement Toward Liberation
Playwright of “Who’s Schooling Who?” in Within/Without Borders: Open Mic Night at NYTW featuring Poetic Theater Productions
Featured Artist in Poetic Lyricism in Poetic License 2019: Resilience
Featured Artist in Reckoning, Resilience, Reconnection Open Mic at NYTW Featuring Poetic Theater Productions
Playwright, Director, Actress of “Unwelcomed Sainthood” featured in Love, Redefined 2019: Resilience
Poet in Songsmiths October 2018 Session
Playwright of “To Those With Ears and Conscious: A Protest Play Script” featured in August 2018 BAILOUT
Playwright, Director, Actress of “I’m Here To Be Seen” in May 2018 BAILOUT
Playwright, Director, Actress in Love, Redefined 2018: Reclaim in Poetic License 2018: Reclamation
Playwright, Poet, Director, Actress in Love, Redefined 2017: RESIST in Poetic License 2017
Playwright for La Paloma Prisoner in Poetic License 2016: A Kind of Now
Panelist for Conscious Language 2015