Bio
A Venezuelan-American actor, director, and producer. Mauricio Pita is the Founder and Executive Producer of Tepui Media, a D.C.-based film production company.
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, of Portuguese descent. Mauricio moved to the United States in 2002.
His early breakthrough stage roles include the Bridegroom, Blood Wedding by Federico García Lorca, which earned him a nomination for Best Male Breakthrough Performance from the New York ACE (Asociación de Cronistas de Espectaculos de Nueva York/New York Entertainment Journalists Association). Followed by multiple roles at Repertorio Español, Superhero Clubhouse, The Bushwick Starr, GALA Hispanic Theatre, Theater 167, Studio Theatre and The Kennedy Center.
In 2015, Mauricio was featured in the film You, Me, Bathroom, Sex, Now directed by Francisco Lupini. The film became an official selection at the Festival de Cannes and went on to receive multiple awards in film festivals including Best of Festival at the Palm Springs Shortfest, Jury Award at the NCGL Film Festival, Best Comedy at the Global Accolade Film Competitions, Audience Choice at the Cinema Diverse Film Festival, and Best LGBT Short Film at the Columbus International Film and Video Festival. In 2022, Mauricio executive produced and starred in Safe Word, a short film directed by Christopher Cunetto and co-written by Cunetto and Eva von Schweinitz.
At Arena Stage Mauricio manages and collaborates with the Director of Education in executing the artistic vision of Arena’s devised theater program, Voices of Now (VON), which produces ten original works each season. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mauricio managed VON’s transition from a theater festival to a feature film. The film inspired a WHUT (PBS) special, Youth Voices & Covid-19, of which Mauricio was one of the producers. Previously he was the Director of Education at GALA Hispanic Theater. His work at GALA was featured in Washingtonian magazine for providing an outlet to DACA recipients to tell their stories of immigration, deportation, and combat anti-immigration rhetoric.
As a freelance director and producer, Mauricio served as Creative Producer for the 2020-2021 Virtual Season of IN Series Opera. His projects with IN Series included the film Orphée et Eurydice, the audio play A Fairy Queen, and the interdisciplinary film/theater piece Boheme in The Heights. All three were featured on DC Metro Theater arts’ 2021 lists of outstanding productions. In addition, Mauricio collaborated with We Happy Few Theatre Company in their Detective Play Series which received praise for their crisp style. Maryland Theater Guide called Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Norwood Builder “...a perfect adventure.”
Mauricio is a proud member of Actors Equity Association (AEA), and a former conference co-chair and current member of the American Alliance for Theater and Education (AATE).
Artist Who Inspire! #7: Mauricio Pita - DCTheaterArts
How the accomplished DC theater artist — a gay Venezuelan immigrant — shifted from scripted theter to devised, then from live performance to film.
"Do you know the Safe Word? Say it!" - LGBTQ Nation
"'Safe Word' Explores Vulnerability in Film"- District Fray Magazine
Interview with filmmaker Mauricio Pita. - The Truth In This Art Podcast
A Columbia Heights Theater Camp Helps DACA Recipients Tell Their Stories - Washingtonian Magazine
Updated - November 2022
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