Harvard history professor Mukesh and Columbia literature professor Sunita journey through 50 years of undeclared love to protect a precious friendship. Mukesh and Sunita explore other relationships while denying their own love.
Chhenra Collage (A Collage Torn)' examines complexities of human relationships. The play calls on the audience to question if cracks always exist or if they are circumstantial.
An episode from The Mahabharata: Born to a king promised on male heirs and raised as a male warrior, a chance meeting with Arjuna the legendary Pandava warrior invokes passion in Chitra's (Chitrangada) heart. The Pandava Warrior Arjun encounters the Warrior Princess in training.
Immigrant communities in America often make art in ethnic silos. EnActe Arts breaks those silos by bringing together 13 local ethnic dance companies to become The Conference of the Birds. Music by world ethno-musicologist Randy Armstrong.
TaalSutra, Creation: From Dashavatar to Elton John
Climate Change Segment
A stark, leafless tree dominates the projection, casting the stage in cool, desaturated tones. The minimal landscape imagery contrasts sharply with earlier mythic abundance, visually signaling ecological rupture and the fragility of creation.
TaalSutra, Creation: From Dashavatar to Elton John
Earth and AI Figures
Two central figures stand in theatrical confrontation, personifying Earth and technological modernity. The restrained staging shifts the production from mythic narrative to contemporary allegory, framing creation as an ethical dialogue between nature and human innovation.
TaalSutra, Creation: From Dashavatar to Elton John
Finale – Ensemble Creation
A full-stage ensemble gathers beneath a warm sunset projection, forming symmetrical lines that evoke collective harmony. The visual synthesis of color, formation, and scale signals restoration, concluding the work’s journey from cosmic origin to contemporary responsibility.
TaalSutra, Creation: From Dashavatar to Elton John
Kathak Ensemble Segment
Swirling red costumes amplify synchronized chakkars, creating centrifugal motion across the stage. The visual velocity of spinning skirts reinforces Kathak’s percussive precision and theatrical dynamism within the production’s evolving narrative arc.
TaalSutra, Creation: From Dashavatar to Elton John
Kurma Avatar – Bharatanatyam
A central sculptural pose anchors the ensemble in symmetrical formation. Grounded stances and sharply defined geometry reflect Bharatanatyam’s architectural vocabulary, reinforcing Kurma’s role as the stabilizing tortoise who supports cosmic balance.
TaalSutra, Creation: From Dashavatar to Elton John
Matsya Avatar – Manipuri
Dancers in flowing blue costumes move in circular formations, their arm arcs evoking water’s rhythm and continuity. Manipuri’s fluid movements underscores Matsya, the fish incarnation of Vishnu, aligning mythic preservation with the visual language of currents, origin, and renewal.
TaalSutra, Creation: From Dashavatar to Elton John
Parashuram – Kathak
Against a darker stage palette, strong stances and dynamic spacing convey tension and force. Kathak’s rhythmic intensity and dramatic carriage embody the warrior energy of Parashuram, heightening the narrative’s shift toward confrontation and upheaval.
TaalSutra, Creation: From Dashavatar to Elton John
Yada Yada – The Four Classical Forms
Under radiant projection, dancers representing multiple classical traditions share the stage in layered formation. Referencing the Bhagavad Gita’s promise of divine return, the segment emphasizes unity across stylistic diversity within South Asian performance traditions.
TaalSutra, Creation: From Dashavatar to Elton John
Vamana Avatar – Odissi
Framed by temple-inspired projections, dancers hold tribhangi silhouettes that emphasize curved lines and poised restraint. Odissi’s sculptural lyricism mirrors Vamana’s transformation from modest figure to expansive cosmic presence.
A Zoom rehearsal with the cast of Dealing Dreams, a play by Jeffrey Lo. The play, which is based in the Bay Area, is about chasing big aspirations while confronting the emotional costs and realities that come with them.
A scene from the staged reading of Democratically Speaking. The play examines the evolving ideals and lived realities of democracy, tracing its roots from ancient Greece to movements like Occupy, through a vibrant staged reading that weaves together voices from across history—from classical thinkers and playwrights to modern activists and political leaders—creating a rich, multi-perspective dialogue on power, justice, and civic life.
