BHOPAL and BADCo's 10th Anniversary
In just a couple of weeks, we’ll turn 10!
BADCo was officially registered with the State of California on July 16, 2014. So you might say that we are already 10 years old. However, it was on December 3, 2014, that we truly came to life, raising the curtain on our debut production: BHOPAL by Rahul Varma. This December 3, 2024, exactly 10 years later, we’ll mark our 10th anniversary doing what we love most — telling a powerful story on stage. With a brand new production of BHOPAL.
We share our anniversary with the Bhopal gas disaster, which occurred on Dec 3rd, 1984. As a theatre company dedicated to the mission of meaningful theatre, it is perhaps fitting. But this is not merely a coincidence. It is deliberate, stemming from our choice to make BHOPAL our debut show.
When we closed the curtain on BHOPAL in 2014, we wrote:
The Bhopal gas leak is about many critical issues - industrial safety arbitrage, corporate governance, political corruption and justice for the thousands of marginalized people who are still affected by this tragedy. Thirty years after the disaster, we added our voice to the many, many others who have fought hard to ensure the world doesn't forget what happened in Bhopal.
But, we also aspired to present good theatre; to put on a great performance for our audiences. We truly hope we were able to do justice from a creative standpoint to this important theatrical piece.
Ten years later, there’s hardly a word I would change about staging BHOPAL in 2024. As much as the purpose matters, so does the art.
The cast of the 2014 production of BHOPAL
The 2024 production of BHOPAL is a completely new show. It features a brand new cast, new designs, original music composed and sung by Shubhangi Sakhalkar, and choreography by Nirupama Vaidyanathan. Even if you saw the show 10 years ago, this reimagined version will offer something fresh and new.
We’re also thrilled to announce that playwright Rahul Varma will fly in from Montreal and join us for the weekend shows! He’ll take questions at TalkBack sessions after the performances on Dec 6, 7 and 8. Rahul is a passionate speaker on the subject of the Bhopal gas tragedy as well as a prolific playwright. His TalkBack is not to be missed.
The cast of BHOPAL after a Zoom meeting with Rahul Varma, the playwright
For me, directing this production has been a joy — a journey back to where it all began. (Fun fact: I played Devraj Sarthi in our original 2014 production!) Our cast is incredibly talented, and I’m confident this show will be something truly special.
We’d be honored to have you join us for this milestone celebration. Come see BHOPAL, our 10th-anniversary production.
🎭 [Get your tickets here.]
Let’s mark this anniversary together—with purpose, passion, and art.