South Asian Theater Arts Guild Experiment Thrives 

Avanti Pradhan Talks to Rohini Zone

Inonly two years, the South Asian Theater Arts Guild Experiment (STAGE) already boasts having served hundreds of individuals from amateur to professional level.  And co-founder, Avanti Pradhan is one of the organization’s powerhouse reasons for such success.  Based in Washington, DC, STAGE’s mission is to develop a forum for those interested in South Asian theater and to provide a networking and mentoring environment to foster development.

“I have always been extremely passionate about theater.  My mother was in a theater troupe in India, and my siblings and I have always had access to it growing up.” States Ms. Pradhan. “I am so committed to this project.  Theater can do so much for society.”

Writers, Directors, Theater Management, Actors and Stage Design are all welcome to join regardless of their level of expertise.  STAGE brings in many types of people including young South Asian professionals, college students, parents and theater organizations.

When asked about the impact STAGE makes, Pradhan explains that the organization created a home for South Asians in the DC area who desire a place where they can turn their theater dreams into reality.  This non-profit venture has not only produced many various productions to sold out audiences, such as Murder Mystery and Musicals but has also created a place where people new to the area can come to cultivate lasting friendships.

The three co-founders, Sheela Hegde, Abhijit Ghosh and Avanti Pradhan, have been operating under the umbrella of NetSAP, the nationwide Network of South Asian Professionals. They continue to build their platform and evidence of this is the Smithsonian Natural History Museum’s event held in November which attracted over 400 people.

Avanti Pradhan herself has acted in plays including roles such as Helen Keller in the Miracle Worker and Anne Frank in the Diary of Anne Frank and been featured in after school programming on the Iowa Public Television Broadcasting station. More recently she acted in several independent films shot in the Washington DC area, such as "The Downrising", "Ring's Promise", "Underground", and "Respect".  Currently, she works for the Voice of America which is an international multimedia broadcasting service funded by the U.S. government through the Broadcasting Board of Governors.  This talented lady also holds two Iowa State Championships in acting and interpretation

Avanti’s parting comments were that everyone can develop their theater talents as a hobby, and not necessarily as their full time job.  Theater awareness and interest is created (with STAGE) and will hopefully be passed on to future generations

For more information on STAGE, please visit their website at http://www.netsap.org/committees/stage/.