presented by ACTLab and Pratidhwani
Dates: August 3-19, 2018
Runtime: about 1 hour and 40 minutes and will be presented without an intermission
Location: Bullitt Cabaret
PhD candidates Sanam and Ariel have spent the better part of the last decade exhaustively researching vanishing bee populations across the globe. Just as these close friends are about to publish a career-defining paper, Sanam stumbles upon an error, which could jeopardize their reputations, careers, and friendship. How far will you go to defend your ethics and standards of integrity, and at what cost? Queen by Madhuri Shekar is a play about pursuit of truth, relationships, and bees.
“In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place. Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth. When you know the truth, the truth makes you a soldier.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Archana Srikanta (Sanam) is excited to be making her theatrical debut with Queen. Born and raised in Bangalore, India, Archana moved to Seattle 7 years ago. She is a software engineer by day, but has spent many evenings and weekends training with Freehold Theatre. She has appeared in various student performances at Freehold including Almost Maine, Stupid Fucking Bird, Infinite Black Suitcase and most recently in Dreams. Archana would like to thank the faculty at Freehold for their support and Pratidhwani for this wonderful opportunity.
Isis King (Ariel) is thrilled to be making her debut with Pratidhwani, in the company of such an amazing cast & production team! Favorite theater credits include: This Pleasant Place, Little Brother’s Body, Crooked Grace, Maiden Voyage, Venus, Joy Ride with Parley; The Inapproriate Suitor with Ballard Underground; Unexpected Wilderness with Annex Theatre; also Studio4Seattle. Film/TV credits: “The Good Wife”, “Smash”; Commercials: Ford, Progresso Soup, Gas-X. BA in Theatre from CUNY Hunter College. Much love to my husband and sustainability advocate, Jim, for imparting the necessity of food pollinators. Become a citizen scientist! https://nwpollinators.org/
Pratik Shah (Arvind) is an east coast transplant who moved to Seattle in 2010. He chose a career in software development after pondering a career in the arts, but has now gotten the chance to re-live his high school theatrical experience on a much grander scale through Pratidhwani. When not at work, you’ll find him engaged in one of his other interests: globe-trotting, political activism, playing sports (racquetball, softball, volleyball), solving logic puzzles, playing poker or board games.
Stephen Grenley (Hayes) is happy to be working with Agastya Kohli again, and proud to be making his debut with Pratidhwani and ACTLab. Stephen has been seen in Cardinal Sins at CenterStage, American Wee Pie at Seattle Public Theater, The Matchmaker at Taproot and To Kill a Mocking Bird at Intiman. Having acted in Seattle for the past 35 years, Stephen has performed in numerous productions at various theaters which include Seattle Shakespeare Co, Wooden O, Greenstage, Second Story Theater, and Theater Schmeater. As a member of Unexpected Productions, Stephen has 25 years’ experience with improvisational theater where he has performed locally, nationally, and internationally. He likes puppies.
Madhuri Shekar (Playwright) is a playwright from Chennai, India, currently based in New York. Her plays include In Love and Warcraft (Alliance Theatre and others; 2013/14 Kendeda Graduate Playwriting Award), A Nice Indian Boy (East West Players and others), and Queen (Victory Gardens; Kilroys List 2017). Her plays in development include House of Joy and new commissions from Victory Gardens, Audible and South Coast Repertory. Her work has been developed at the Center Theatre Group, South Coast Repertory, the Old Globe, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Hedgebrook Playwrights Festival, the Kennedy Center, New York Stage and Film, and the Atlantic Theatre. She is a member of the Ars Nova Playgroup and Ma-Yi Writers Lab, has an MFA in Dramatic Writing from USC, and is a recent alumn of the playwriting program at Juilliard.
Agastya Kohli, Director
Dheeraj Mehta, Stage Manager
Robin Macartney, Scenic Designer
Parmida Ziaei, Assistant Scenic Designer
Emily Leong, Lighting Designer
Pallavi Garg, Props and Costume Designer
Rob Witmer, Sound Designer
Mario Gomez, Dramaturg
Alyssa Kay, Intimacy Choreographer
Marianna de Fazio, Acting Coach
Archna Sharda, Graphic Designer
Swati Srivastav, Assistant Props/Costume Designer
Anushree Ringne, Assistant Stage Manager
Pratidhwani is a non-profit cultural organization based in the Seattle area, driven to create and promote performing opportunities for artists of South Asian heritage. At its core, Pratidhwani is a group of professionals who are extremely enthusiastic and passionate about the artistic traditions of our homeland.
Learn more about Pratidhwani and the incredible work they do at their website.
Launched in 2007 as The Central Heating Lab, ACTLab serves as an incubator and catalyst for new works. Uniquely positioned to provide space and resources in a collaborative environment, ACT partners with emerging and seasoned local artists, giving them the sustenance and pressure required to experiment, grow, and transform their work and reach new audiences.
ACTLab is investing in the imagination of audiences and artists, cultivating new ideas through experimentation, excellent art, and meaningful partnerships.
ACT believes that our patrons can determine what is offensive for themselves, and what is appropriate for their children. We don’t create age restrictions but do our best to offer content advisories for each show. For detailed information about show content and possible triggers, please contact communications@acttheatre.org.
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