A DOLL’S HOUSE

Adapted & Directed by: Basab Pradhan

July 22-23, Lohman Theatre, Los Altos Hills

Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House is one of the most performed plays of modern times. It created waves across the artistic world when it premiered in 1879 with its unusually bold take on gender issues. Even today, it seems fresh and relevant – the mark of a classic.

This adaptation of A Doll’s House, written and directed by Basab Pradhan, retells Ibsen's classic by exploring gender stereotypes within a seemingly perfect South Asian marriage in the Bay Area.  What is the status of a capable and educated woman in a household where she has chosen to be the homemaker?  Is she truly an equal?  Does a woman's role as a mother and a wife preclude her own identity as an individual?

The play is a critical examination of these issues in a 21st century Indian-American setting.

English | Age 13+

KOI NAZM NAHIN

Koi Nazm Nahin is an original composition for A Doll's House. Lyrics by Shekhar Hemnani. Composed by Aalap Desai. Sung by Sindu Singh.

Naina

Sindu Singh has acted in multiple productions with various Bay Area theatre companies. She recently directed Mahesh Dattani's Dance Like a Man in which she essayed the character of Ratna. Her other notable roles include Khulsoom in Wajahat Ali's The Domestic Crusaders, Damyanti Rane in Mahesh Elkunchwar's Party, Bagheera in Harish Sunderam Agastya's Mowgli and I, Sarita in Vijay Tendulkar's Kamla, Hamida Begum in Asghar Wajahat's Jis Lahore Nahin Vekhya O Jammyai Nahin, Bhagwati in Divided Together, Sukanya Chakraborty's adaptation of Girish Karnad's Hayavadana for Stanford's Winter Repertory and the dual roles of Indal and Mahil in Swang Nautanki Mandali's Indal Haran performed by invitation at UT Austin. She lent her voice as narrator to Birbal and the Palace Thief, an innovative children's app for the iPad and iPhone. In 2013, Sindu founded 'Rangmanch', a South Asian theatre group for the Stanford University community, and for the group's maiden production, she directed Yoni ki Baat, the South Asian version of Eve Ensler's Vagina Monologues.  She regularly emcees cultural events and has featured in poetry recitations and dance narrations.

Sindu is a Co-founder and Director of Bay Area Drama Company.

Tarun

Dinesh Chandrasekhar has acted in many Bay Area stage productions under the banners of Swaram, Visweta and Sanhithi. Apart from acting, he has also co-written and co-directed many of these plays. His most notable piece on stage has been enacting a South Indian folk art based performance called Villupaatu. Most recently, he played a key role (MayilPandian) along with Tamil cinema's comedy king, S. Ve. Shekher in his hilarious play, Aayiram Udhai Vaangiya Aboorva Sigamani. He has also acted in a lead role in the short film Andhadhi directed by Bay Area theatre and film veteran, Mani Ram. Dinesh loves writing short stories and comic scripts for stage. Outside his passion for the stage, he spends his spare time doing professional photography. And yes, he has a day job too! His wife is a superstar who supports all his craziness with a beautiful smile.

Charu

Dhira Ramakrishnan is looking forward to once again bringing Charu to life on stage in this revival of A Doll's House. She has performed in several traditional nautankis (Sultana Daku, Mission Suhani, and Indal Haran) as well as musicals (Mowgli & I and Camelot.) Last year, she also had her first on-screen experience in the movie Family Party. She enjoys a fulfilling career as a neurologist as well as the unwavering support of her husband, Kartik.

Kevin

Parag Kilche indulged his passion for theatre starting in childhood by enacting the famous mono act Marathi play Warhad nighalay London la during family get togethers. When he moved to Mumbai to pursue his Bachelor's degree, he got involved in several college theatre events and competitions. Later, he formed  "Mitra", a theatre group in Pune along with friends and did two productions for it as an actor. His most recent theatre performance was the Marathi one-act play Myaav. He works as a Senior Java Engineer with Ebates Inc. and lives in the Bay Area with his wife Pratibha and their three-year-old son Abeer.

Rajbir

Basab Pradhan's interest in theatre started at a young age and continued all through his school and college years during which he acted in and directed dozens of plays. Most recently, Basab essayed the role of Salman in Wajahat Ali's The Domestic Crusaders. He has penned and is once again directing this highly acclaimed South Asian adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House.  His other notable acting work has included the role of Jairaj in Mahesh Dattani's Dance Like a Man, Devraj Sarthi in Rahul Varma's Bhopal, the molestor 'Uncle' in Mahesh Dattani's 30 Days in September, the Doctor in Mahesh Elkunchwar's Party, and the lead role of Rajiv in Sanjeev Desai's Go to Your Room, Mother!

Basab is a Co-founder and Director of Bay Area Drama Company.