Madhuri Shekar was born in California and grew up in India, and after a couple of quick detours in Singapore and London, made her first grown-up home in Los Angeles. She is currently based in New York City, having recently graduated from the Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program at Julliard. She writes on themes of love, relationships and sexuality inspired by her cross-cultural background.
Madhuri’s plays include Dhaba on Devon Avenue (commissioned and premiered by Victory Gardens in spring 2020), House of Joy (California Shakespeare Theatre, San Diego Rep, developed at South Coast Rep, Juilliard, Atlantic, NY Stage and Film), Queen (Victory Gardens—2017 Jeff Award for Best New Play; APAC—NY Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Full Length Script; Geva Theatre Center), A Nice Indian Boy (East West Players, Rasaka Theatre Company, EnActe Arts), In Love and Warcraft (Kendeda Graduate Playwriting contest winner), Antigone, Presented by the Girls of St. Catherine’s (Alliance Theater), and Bucket of Blessings (Alliance Theater).
She is also working on a new play commission about hockey culture for South Coast Rep.
Madhuri is one of the first recipients of Audible’s new commissioning program for emerging playwrights. Her audio drama, Evil Eye, debuted at #5 on Audible’s bestseller list. In Hollywood, Madhuri was a staff writer on HBO’s The Nevers.
Madhuri is currently a Resident Playwright at New Dramatists. She has an MFA in Dramatic Writing from USC, and a dual Master’s degree in Global Media and Communications from the London School of Economics and USC.