All Photos by Kyle Rosenberg

A story about a music that deeply stirs the emotions of a listener and demands great sacrifice from those who dare to pursue it. The Music In My Blood at the 12th South Asian Theater Festival crosses the boundaries of time and space to bring together Prema and Walter, two people bound and frayed by their love of music.

Fleeing the demands of legacy from being an Indian classical singer, from a musical dynasty in Benares, Prema chooses to pursue a history degree in New York City. She discovers the writing of Walter Kaufmann, a Jewish man who developed a devotion to Indian classical music when he found refuge in India during WWII. He gave India its iconic All India Radio – Akashvani tune that has welcomed the morning for the past seventy years. Kaufman’s words seemingly reaffirm for Prema that once you become a musician you cannot un become.

Team:

Ashok Chaudhary, Ariaki Dandawate, Miriam Eusebio, Michael Gentile, Gautam Gurnani Toby Miller, Meera Narasimhan, Shubhra Prakash, Anand Rao, Aanya Rastogi, Richa Rudola, Monica Sharma, Sumend Wankhade

Male vocals and Harmonium - Manoj Govindraj

Female vocals - Rucha Jambekhar

Music - Laxmikant Bongale

Scenic and Costume  - Sonalee Hardikar 

Set construction -  Hassan Khan

Wardrobe and Props - Priya Rohatgi 

Projections - Madison Hartke-Weber

Written - Sonalee Hardikar and Shubhra Prakash  

Director - Sonalee Hardikar