Saturday, July 5th, 2003 at 7:00 PM SALAAM Theatre invites you to
Directed by Geeta Citygirl Featuring Mona Chopra, Tamina Davar, Anna George, Dorothy Griffin, Tanwi Nandini Islam, Nancy Kim, Carolyn Ladd, Nina Mehta, Stefanie Petersen, Tatiana Suárez Pico and Vitória Setta. As part of WOMEN
CENTER STAGE:
THAT TAKES OVARIES! is a collection of real-life stories from women and girls about the gutsy, outrageous, audacious, courageous things they have done. Based on the book THAT TAKES OVARIES!: Bold Females & Their Brazen Acts, the play is packed with multi-culti, short, fun, sassy, touching true tales of estrogen-powered deeds that range from playful to political, including women fighting for their human rights. Venue: 45
Bleecker Theater/The Culture Project
"'ballsy' acts by bold women -- the anatomically correct way." -- Glamour magazine WHO'S WHO IN THE CAST MONA CHOPRA is a New Yorker who is beyond-words-grateful for all the blessings the universe has bestowed (and continues to bestow) upon her. Having last performed six years (!!!) ago, the opportunity to participate in this performance has brought a fresh ray of sunshine into her life. Mona traces her roots to South Asia... her parents were born in Lahore (located in present-day Pakistan), and after fleeing their homes during the 1947 partition, they were raised in Delhi (India). In the late 1960s, they came to New York where Mona was eventually born and raised. TAMINA DAVAR enjoyed the bawdy leads in SALAAM's Lysistrata, and in Valium. Her performance and spoken word includes Rising Circle and DilateWorld, and Philadelphia's Interact Theatre. Tamina's original work (including an homage to 70's TV icon Erik Estrada) with Peeling the Banana (now Peeling) has been seen throughout fine performance spaces and colleges in NYC, LA, Toronto. Recently, Tamina produced a documentary on Salaam Bombay and Mississippi Masala screenwriter Sooni Taraporevala. Tamina has enjoyed telling incredulous people that unlike most Americans, she was actually born in Washington, DC. ANNA GEORGE has a BA from Wellesley College and a Masters degree from Columbia University. Most recently, Anna appeared as the "Green eyed girl" in Dust at HereArts Center in Soho. She is well known to Delhi theatergoers. Anna was born in Calcutta but traces her roots to Kerala, India and currently splits her time between the New York City and the rest of the world. DOROTHY GRIFFIN is a budding filmmaker, actor, and director from Harlem U.S.A. She studies Film and Theater at The City College of New York. An excerpt of her work-in-progress film trilogy, Black/Out was recently screened at SALAAM. She would like to thank Geeta Citygirl for all of her inspiration and support. Rest in peace Sakia Gunn, Heman, and Michael Hall. TANWI NANDINI ISLAM: Feminist lady born of Bangladeshi parents twenty years ago. Her student life at Vassar (where she's a women's studies major) entails writing/directing/ fighting domestic violence/promoting sex positivism and anti-misogyny in general. Thanks Ma, Baj, Prom! She is working on a multimedia project with her friend Michael called Brown World Narratives, a collection of interviews, images, and performances about the linkages between brown folks. About her roots she says, "I guess I'm a Bangladeshi American Marxist Feminist queer sister." JUNGLI: Tasneem Nanji is JUNGLI and has created a unique sound of alternative rock, a lil' hip-hop and thought-provoking lyrics. As a child, she eagerly took up saxophone and sang constantly at the top of her lungs. Honing each craft, delving into emceeing, songwriting, singing and playing instruments, in due time, Tasneem moved to nYc where she earned a Bachelor's degree from NYU majoring in jazz performance. She landed in the big city and played for many. Jungli has been dubbed the health food of the music industry. I want to bring a new sound to an audience that can appreciate a diversity of talents, it's about the love for the art and my love for all kinds of music. Make Tea nOt War!!!!! www.junglimusic.com NANCY KIM has worked both on stage and off with various theatres in New York. She continues to participate in theatre because of projects like this. Nancy wishes to thank the director for being an inspiring woman. Born in South Korea, raised in Woodside Queens starting at the age of 3, a culture shock of a move to Long Island at 16, she considers herself a native New Yorker but also feels like she's new to the city. CAROLYN LADD was seen most recently in the staged reading of Anuvab Pal's Life, Love and EBITDA (Epic Theatre Center, NYC), Anti Climax: the bed and bar plays (Long Wharf/Stage II) and in New Haven’s International Festival of Arts and Ideas (2002 NEAT one-act play festival). She has numerous credits in Chicago, and received her training from Northwestern University and The Theatre School of Depaul University. Her roots are firmly preserved in the northern climes of Minnesota and Norway where cold temperatures, ice, snow, and more snow abound, and where all good Scandinavians eat bland, white food like boiled potatoes, whitefish with cream sauce, and rice pudding. NINA MEHTA is an actor/writer in New York and is thrilled to be a part of this innovative project! A freelance writer, Nina is a critic for a nightlife guide in New York. Previous theater credits include, readings at the PULSE Playwrights Workshop, Brendan Varma’s Safe Space and The Lysistrata Project, both with SALAAM Theatre. She's currently studying at the William Esper Studio in New York and loving it. Nina's roots go back to the sacred Hamlet of Beneras in India. Most of her largely extended and loving family are sprawled out in India and across the globe, while she, born in New Jersey, resides in New York -- to be near to her parents and brother. STEFANIE PETERSEN: Born in Hamburg, Germany -- Stefanie came to the States as an orphan at the age of seven. She discovered theater at the ripe young age of 25 and has been performing in NJ and NY for the past 8 years. Recent performances include Through War Torn Eyes with the (646) Theater Company and Writer's Block with Jersey Voices. Thanks to the amazing Geeta for this amazing opportunity and letting her share the stage with the rest of the Ovaries cast. Rock On! TATIANA SUAREZ PICO is an actor, a poet, a feminist, and a woman with a consciousness, currently pursuing an MFA at the Actors Studio Drama School (ASDS) in NYC. Tatiana Suárez Pico has worked in Colombia and the U.S. in movies and theatre productions such as Green Card Fever, Haciendo el Amor…Brujo, and Mami's Feast. She was recently seen as a producer, actor, and writer in the first Annual Latino Theatre Showcase at ASDS. Tatiana is also a poet/writer. Tatiana was born in Bucaramanga, Colombia but raised in the city of Cali. She came to the U.S. when she was fifteen years-old; Her mother had moved to New York three years before. She sends out thanks and much love to her mom and family! VITORIA SETTA was born and raised in Brazil, coming to New York at the age of 9. She has performed in several shows at the Theater for The New City, and most recently in Bina Sharif’s Democracy In Islam. She hopes later to attend university majoring in theatre, and is currently studying with actress and teacher Kim Todd. Vitória is once again oh-so thrilled to be working with Geeta Citygirl. Vitória's brief summation of her family lines… My maternal grandparents are of Dutch, French and Portuguese parents - my grandmother, Catholic, having been left a Christian surname by her antecedents, victims of the Spanish Inquisition, and my grandfather, also French. On my father’s side is my grandmother with features and complexion of a Brazilian Native and a grandfather son of Calabresi. Here, perhaps, lies the root of my dark hair and Moor-like appearance. DIRECTOR GEETA CITYGIRL (Director) is the Artistic Director of SALAAM Theatre. This actor, director, producer, writer and creative spirit’s upcoming events schedule is out-of-control so to find her check out www.SALAAMtheatre.org and get on her email list. Her motto is within every play, there is humor - the director just has to tickle it. Thanks to Rivka and Bobbi for the trust, the sisters of this 7/5 event for their energy and her family and friends for their love and support. Born in NYC, Ms. Citygirl feels like a citizen of Mama Earth. Rest in peace Uncle Iqbal Ahmed (7/5/2003). www.CitygirlOnline.com PLAYWRIGHTS RIVKA SOLOMON is the editor of the book, and co-playwright of the play, THAT TAKES OVARIES!: BOLD FEMALES AND THEIR BRAZEN ACTS. Her estrogen-powered book has sparked a growing grassroots open mike movement for women and girls' empowerment: In the past year, women have lead over 60 Ovaries! open mikes. (Any woman anywhere can host her own, even you! Visit www.thattakesovaries.org or find guidelines in the back of the Ovaries! book.) Most recently Rivka adapted her book into a play for the stage and is looking for interested producers, theater companies and both celebrity and community-based actors. Contact Rivka@ThatTakesOvaries.org BOBBI AUSUBEL, co-playwright of THAT TAKES OVARIES!, is a director, playwright and acting teacher. She co-wrote and directed the first play inspired by the modern feminist movement, How To Make A Woman, which ran from 1969-1972. She was co-director of Caravan Theater in Boston for twelve years, and taught acting for fifteen at the Boston Conservatory. AUTHOR’S NOTE
We had a four-week run of the play in Washington DC in March 2003 with Horizons Theatre, the longest running women's theatre in the U.S. This one-act play, adapted from the book That Takes Ovaries!: Bold Females and Their Brazen Acts (Three Rivers/Random House 2002) is still in development. A two-act play is available upon request. Special Thanks to the folks at The Culture Project/45 Bleecker - Phoebe, Dave, Tom, Brian, Becky, SALAAM Theatre, Bruno at Champions Studios, Mona Chopra, Puja Lalmalani, and all the women who shared their stories to this ongoing project. We really appreciate your support!
"We get arts and activism mixed up." SALAAM is a not-for-profit professional multidisciplinary
theatre company celebrating South Asian American artistic excellence
SALAAM Theatre (South Asian League
of Artists in AMerica)
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