After half a century, the most devastating earthquake (7.9 on the Richter Scale) hit India on January 26th, 2001 - Republic Day. I listened to the news as the death toll began to rise from 200 to 2000 to 20,000. I cried as I picked up the phone to call my relatives in India and cried more when I couldn't get through. The frustration of knowing they were okay because of their location in India but realizing what they must be feeling - being there. The tears I shed for my brothers and sisters in India were because I felt helpless and dispirited. That day, so many folks I knew were discussing ways in which we could assist. Within the past 2 weeks since the earthquake, several groups have sponsored or donated proceeds of an event to help with the relief efforts. Other groups are collecting checks. Everyone is trying to do something and that is what it's all about. As the spirit of Valentine's Day approaches, remember what love is about - to me love is about giving from the depth of your spirit. Sending out peace, prayers and much love... SALAAM
Manjula Padmanabhan's
dedicated
to the
directed by
featuring
Date: Monday, February 19, 2001
SALAAM (South Asian League of Artists in AMerica) is a not-for-profit professional theatre company celebrating South Asian American artistic excellence through creative risk-taking and experimentation that challenges artistic boundaries. SALAAM Presents our 3rd Mondays monthly reading series that includes original and published pieces of work, to be read the third Monday evening of every month at the Asian American Writers' Workshop in Midtown Manhattan. (We are still accepting one-act and full-length plays, screenplays, monologues, and any other works dealing with South Asian American themes.) join our cyberspace group at:
Geeta Citygirl
Chopra,
Artistic Director
WHO'S WHO Manjula Padmanabhan (Playwright) has been living in New Delhi since 1985, working as a writer, illustrator and cartoonist. Her comic strip SUKI appeared daily in The Pioneer from December 1991 to November 1997. She has illustrated 21 children's books and her collection of short stories, Hot Death, Cold Soup was recently published in India and in the UK. She has a fortnightly column appearing in The Pioneer. Her first play Lights Out has been performed on stage and on television. SALAAM produced a reading of Harvest (her fifth play) in October 2000. This is the world premiere of The Artist's Model. Deepa Purohit (Director) is an actor, singer and teaching artist. This reading is her directing debut. She is also currently working on her first screenplay and is the co-founder and co-director of Rising Circle, a theater group dedicated to supporting the talents of thespians of color. Check her out in the 11th episode of the upcoming season of The Sopranos! Thank you SALAAM for this great opportunity. Ajay Mehta (Rustom) was seen recently playing Ali Faloudi, a Saudi Arabian oil baron, a guest-starring role on Fox "The Street". He's just completed the pilot episode of Law&Order, Criminal Intent as Mr. Wahdi, a Middle Eastern diamond millionaire (the episode will appear on USA this fall.) Ajay also played a doctor on Law&Order Special Victims Unit. His other roles as a guest star were on ABC "Soulman" as a doctor and as an Arab on CBS "The Nanny. " On HBO he's been on "Sex and the City" and "The Sopranos" (as a CEO involved with the mob.) His theatrical debut was with the Manhattan Theater Club in East is East as Mr. Shah. Ajay is delighted to be here tonite for a worthy cause helping the unfortunate victims in India. Jay Charan (Swarup) is very grateful to SALAAM for letting him be part of this reading. Stage: The Manager (Theatre 3), Elektra (The Actors Studio & Actors Studio Free Theatre), The Girl on the Via Flaminia, Fences, Rodenticide (Circle in the Square Downtown), 27 Wagons Full of Cotton (Tishman Theatre), Tainted Blood (Producers Club), The Man with the Flower in his Mouth (Center Stage), Macbeth, Grapes of Wrath (Little Theatre: Los Angeles). Film/TV: Over the Counter, The Accountant, Afterword, The Tavern, Ice Cream Dimensions and As The World Turns. A founding member of the Connection Theatre Company. Sanjit De Silva (Tarun) was last seen as Krishna in Monkeywrench at the NYU 10-minute play festival. Previous NY stage credits include: Lady Windermere's Fan, Syria, America, Rubberville, Children of the Or Else, Sausage&Peppers/Junior&Jennifer. Film credits include: American Desi. He has trained at Washington University in St. Louis, the Joseph Papp/Public Theatre Shakespeare Lab, and The Actors Center.
for web-related inquiries, please email: webmaster@salaamtheatre.org Copyright © SALAAM. All rights reserved. |