BAD: Bay Area Drama Company
Founded: 2014
Languages of Performance: English, Tamil, Hindi
Bay Area Drama Company (BADCo), founded in 2014 and led by Artistic Director Basab Pradhan, is a Silicon Valley–based theater group known for producing thoughtful and engaging English-language plays. With over two dozen productions, the company balances intellectual depth with entertainment, creating work that is visually compelling, emotionally resonant, and often laced with humor. While primarily staging performances in English, BADCo has increasingly incorporated companion productions in Indian languages such as Hindi and Tamil, expanding its reach across diverse audiences. Drawing largely from the Bay Area Indian community for its artists and collaborators, the company occupies a unique space between community-driven and polished theatrical production within the South Asian theater landscape.
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Broken NoteA poignant drama exploring how music can wound, transform, and ultimately heal; also staged in Tamil as Sruti Bhedham. -
MuktidhamA deep philosophical exploration of the struggle between compassion and dogma in 8th-century India. -
ArtA witty comedy that tests the limits of friendship when three men clash over the value of a modern painting. -
Where Did I Leave My Purdah?A sweeping drama following the life of an aging theatre actress against the turbulent backdrop of the Partition of India. -
Chokher BaliA lush adaptation of Tagore's classic tale of desire, widowhood, and the complex bonds between women. -
Taj Mahal Ka TenderA biting political satire imagining the bureaucratic hurdles and corruption involved in building the Taj Mahal today; also staged in Hindi. -
Adhe AdhureA seminal work of Indian theatre depicting a middle-class family's descent into emotional fragmentation and disillusionment. -
The Square Root of a SonnetA poignant historical drama chronicling the intellectual rivalry and personal bond between astrophysicists Chandrasekhar and Eddington. -
The Invisible HandA high-stakes political thriller examining the volatile relationship between global finance and religious extremism. -
KanyadaanA searing critique of class, caste, and the idealistic pursuit of social reform within the domestic sphere. -
Greater ThanA contemporary drama exploring the dark realities of sexual harassment within the high-stakes world of Silicon Valley. -
Wedding AlbumA nuanced portrayal of a traditional wedding in small-town India that exposes a family's hidden anxieties and contradictions.
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Not Equal ToA gripping tale of intrigue and corporate corruption, revealing how the privileged strive to preserve their dominance. -
The Domestic CrusadersA sharp look into the lives of a Pakistani-American family as they navigate identity, religion, and the American Dream. -
Dance Like a ManA powerful drama detailing the generational tensions and societal stigmas surrounding male classical dancers in India. -
A Doll's HouseAn Indian-American adaptation of Ibsen's classic, examining a woman's struggle for agency within the confines of a traditional marriage. -
BhopalA gripping exploration of the human cost and corporate negligence surrounding the 1984 industrial disaster, staged on its 30th anniversary.