Born in India, Zaraawar Mistry is an actor, writer, director, teacher and producer in the Twin Cities. He was co-founder of the Center for Independent Artists (2001-2005), and an Associate Artistic Director at Theater Mu (1997-1999). As an actor he has performed at the Guthrie, the Children’s Theater Company and Mixed Blood Theater. He has collaborated as an actor, writer and director with Ragamala Music and Dance Theater. His one man play Sohrab and Rustum was selected by City Pages as one of the year's 10 Best in 2002. His play, Indian Cowboy, also a solo performance, was presented at Mixed Blood Theater in January 2006, and selected as "Outstanding experimental theater work" in the Star Tribune's Best of Twin Cities theater in 2006. Both plays have been presented at Asia Society in New York and at Stages Repertory Theatre in Houston. Zaraawar regularly performs a storytelling program, Children's Stories from India at schools and libraries in the Twin Cities.

Zaraawar has an M.F.A. in Theatre from UC, San Diego and a B.A. from Bennington College in Vermont. He has studied with theater directors such as Anne Bogart and Tadashi Suzuki. Zaraawar has received numerous grants in support of his work, from the Jerome Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Playwright’s Center among others. He has taught theater classes at many organizations in the Twin Cities, most recently as the Interim Program Director for the City Arts program at H.E.C.U.A.. He was also an Adjunct Professor at Hamline University in 2007. Zaraawar is a consultant and an Adjunct Career Counselor with Springboard for the Arts.

Email: z@dreamlandarts.com