Juan Ramirez, Jr.

Juan Ramirez, Jr. is an internationally produced, dramatist, actor and director. Either writing about big characters with small problems or small characters with big problems, his work seeks out truth. If you ever want to learn about yourself, the journey must be as important as the answer.

His latest play, Calling Puerto Rico, is a recipient of the 2019 BRIO (Bronx Recognize It’s Own) Award in part with the New York City Department for Cultural Affairs for its “artistic excellence.” The play received its first reading at IATI Theatre directed by Tatiana Pandiani and an excerpt was presented part of Infinite Stories with the NYC Playwriting Latinx Circle.

The American Dream was selected for the New American Voices Play Reading Series at The landing Theatre in Houston, Texas. It was part of the inaugural Broadway Bound Theatre Festival performed at the 14th Street Y. The play was also a semi-finalist for the 2016 Stage Left Theatre’s Downstage Left residency.

Ridin' Shotgun made its festival debut in the 2019 Downtown Urban Arts Festival. Sailing Stones was part of the 2018 Downtown Urban Arts Festival and Honor Among Thieves was selected for the 2017 Downtown Urban Arts Festival and produced at The Cherry Lane. Walk The Bronx is a 2016 Downtown Urban Theater Festival Finalist.

Stroke Of Madness was part of the inaugural Ingenio Milargo 2017 Play Reading Series in Portland, Oregon. It was also part of the 2016 Cimientos Play Development Program with IATI directed by Victoria Collado. Wall was part of the 2017 Cimientos Play Development Program directed by Eric Parness and also part of the monthly LaTea Reading Series, also directed by Victoria Collado. Other plays include The Truth Theory, part of the Footlights program at the Mary Rodgers Room at the Dramatist Guild, and Don Juan performed at Dixon Place.

Truck Stop Queen was part of the LIC One-Act Festival and published in an anthology with the Secret Theatre. Dad & Son at 2013, To Speed Or Not To Speed at 2014 and Hey at 2018 Gi60 One minute play festival in Halifax, UK. The former play is selected and published in One Minute Plays: A Practical Guide To Tiny Theatre, Routledge 2017.

Love Diplomats was produced by the Raíces Theatre Company's 2016 Desde El Puente. It was also selected for 2016 Short + Sweet International Festival Top 80 in Sydney, Australia and performed at the Top 10 NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Center. Love In All The Right Places was produced at Ophelia Theatre Group and Manhattan Repertory Company. There's A Wolf At The Door was also performed at Manhattan Rep. Pro And Cons made Abstract Sentiment Theater Company's Block and Talk series in October 2014. It also made 2016 Fall 10 Minute Play Series and 2016 Playwright's Showcase with Manhattan Repertory Company.

The Safety of Strangers, a one-act festival of his works Borrowed Time, JUMP!, and Admitted was produced with Henry Ovalles at Theatre Row. His one-act play JUMP! was also part of Lehman's first annual playwright's festival. At The Corner of Francis and Wolf was produced with The Bronx Repertory Company and Red Light at Lehman College's SUMMERWORX. American Culture was produced at NYU's Blink of an Eye one-act festival. Villa Of Life is a NYU 2014 Graduate Screenplay Finalist. Jimmy's Tab is a 2011 Princess Grace semi-finalist.

He was part of the first Playwright Sponsored National Winter Playwright's Retreat in Pagosa Springs, CO with HBMG Foundation where he wrote the first of four plays for his Chupacabra Play Cycle based on the four psychological attitudes for racism. He is currently halfway through.

He is a Dramatist Guild member, founder of The PlayPen collective, R and R Production with his fiancee Cristy Reynoso, a producing member of The Bronx Repertory Company, a film assessor, a script reader and has taught classes in various theatre disciplines. He received his B.A. from Lehman College and his MFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU Tisch.