06-02-2024
Director Raquis Petree Says Every Day Is The Best Day Ever! S1E2
Fellow Duke Ellington School of the Arts alum Raquis Petree is a director, choreographer, librettists, and production stage manager living the artistic dream in his 5th act. Connect with Raquis at the following: https://www.facebook.com/raquis.petree/.
Bio
Raquis Da’Juan Petree, is one of the most eclectic and quiet fires in the industry today. He began his formal training in the Stuart-Hobson Middle School Musical Theater Ensemble under the direction of Thomasena Allen and the late Harry Poe.
Raquis was hand selected by the late Mike Malone to be the youngest member of the Everyman Street Theater. He auditioned and was selected to be in T.A.D.P.O.L.E, a feed program to the Duke Ellington School of the Arts Dance Department. After graduating from Ellington as the first student to graduate with a focus in Musical Theater/Producing, Raquis went on to study Musical Theater and Theater Dance at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC. Mr. Petree, while at Ellington created the Teen Musical Theater Co., which was funded in part by DC Art Works and DC Commission on the Arts, at the tender age of 14.
Professionally Raquis has worked in the US and abroad. He choreographed the five country European tour for the DC Boys Choir. Raquis served as Assistant Director/Choreographer to Tony award winner George Faison on many occasions:
· 25th Anniversary Production of The Wiz at Houston’s Theater under the stars
· 35th Anniversary Production of Purlie, starring Melba Moore, Sherman Hemsley and Robert Guilliuame, at the Fox Theater in Atlanta
· Bubbling Brown Sugar at the Theater Virginia
Raquis also assisted the late Mike Malone on the very first production of Jelly’s Last Jam outside of the Broadway team at the legendary Karamu House Theater, in Cleveland Ohio.
He was nominated as best emerging New Artist in the annual Mayors arts awards.
Mr. Petree, served as Choreographer for the B.E.T. Urban Nation H.I.P H.O.P Youth Choir. This association allowed his works to be seen on Planet Groove, Teen Summit, Bobby Jones Gospel and Disney’s Epcot Center. He also choreographed their national music video “Sign of the Times”. He has provided Choreography for the following:
· Helen Hayes Award winning, Torn from the Headlines
· As you Like It (Washington Shakespeare Theater)
· Boys of All Nations (Asia Theater)
· Gris Gris (African-American Theater Co., ACT-Co.)
· Grease (Olney Theater)
