Malini Singh McDonald is a native New Yorker who has been involved in the arts for her entire life. A passionate and experienced artist and producer, Malini has twenty years of practical experience in the NYC theatre scene. She’s served the theatre in many aspects of which she’s very proud – actress, director, producer, stage manager, costume designer, prop designer, theatre reviewer, publicist, radio presenter, and writer/monologist.
Malini received her BA in Theatre Arts and English Literature and MPA from Baruch College, and her MFA in Directing from the Actors Studio Drama School. As a producer in the independent theatre scene, Malini mastered the skills of marketing and producing her work in an ever-growing and ever-changing theatre scene.
In 2003, Malini and her husband, Ian McDonald, created Black Henna Productions with a handful of innovative artists. Every member of the company collaborates on every piece, either writing, acting, directing, designing, or filling any other role that fits their own personal skills with a commitment bringing new, exciting, and challenging theatre to the world. Black Henna’s past productions include Torch Song Trilogy; Deserters; Down the Road; The Unlikely Adventure of Race McCloud, Private Eye; Much Ado About Nothing; Twelfth Night; and Hamlet: The Viking Prince of Denmark.
In July 2012, Malini created Theatre Beyond Broadway, a platform that promotes and supports independent artists, groups and productions produced beyond the bright lights of Broadway. TBB is a community representing over 2000 artists; a podcast featuring interviews with theatre professionals including Broadway producers, executive directors, career coaches, playwrights, and more; a resource which includes reviews and highlights of artists work; productions of original works; and programs educating students on making better choices in campus life through theatre and creating leadership qualities (Beyond Broadway, After School Theater Empowerment Program (“A STEP”). Collaborations include The Anthropologists, Broadway Artists Connection, Mind the Art Entertainment and Non Disposable Productions.
When she isn’t doing all things theatre, Malini finds solace in writing poetry. Her work has been published in Newtown Literary Journal and she contributed to Kew Gardens, a book about the history of “the backbone of Long Island”. She loves being a tourist in her hometown and is currently working on a series of poems on her New York City.
Malini is a member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Statera Arts and League of Professional Theatre Women. She was a producer on the Broadway revival of Godspell as well as on the producing team of Chasing Rainbows at Paper Mill. She received the Woman of Distinction Award for her contribution to Media, Arts and Culture from the City of New York.
Malini Singh mcdonald 