Biography
Rina Maejima was born in a bayside town in Tokyo, Japan. She grew up watching American golden-age musical films due to her father’s artistic influence. She started classical ballet at the young age of three, though she doesn’t remember at all, and expanded her training into tap, jazz, theater dance, and hip-hop. Her stage career started with a local theater company’s original musicals, and she performed Young Prissy in Anne of Green Gables (a UN sponsored musical) during middle school. Rina held her post-secondary education in high esteem at Tokyo University of the Arts where she earned classical voice BA degree. At school her curiosity peaked, and she began to find interest not only her major subject of voice, but also Japanese traditional culture such as kabuki and Tea ceremony. As her mother says, “Knowing your country is important when you are abroad”, and she appreciates that now more than ever! After graduation, she packed her big dreams up in a bag and flew to NYC to enrol at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) where she was accepted with 2 scholarships. As before, Rina became a sponge and absorbed their musical theater curriculum until her graduation in early spring, 2016. She playied Connie in A Chorus Line (Playhouse on Park) which was her first professional performance in America.
As a snger, she got on board with Vikcking Ocean Cruise.
Musical, Shakespear, modern play, opera....
During the pandemic, Rina spent and expanded her performer life vividly in Miyako-island Okinawa, where her mother was born and raised.
Rina’s natural curiosity is always growing through multiple genres. This 4’10 girl is still growing!!
Photo credit: _atnek_mana_photo
