EXPERIENCE THE WORLD OF INDIAN THEATER
AUG 22 – 24, 2025
THEATER GROUPS FROM
ATLANTA, BOSTON, CHICAGO, DALLAS, NEW JERSEY
AABAHA SAMMAN AWARD
DISCUSSION: FUTURE AND IMPACT OF COMMUNITY THEATERS
EXHIBITION: INDIAN THEATER
COMMUNITY ARTS AND CRAFTS
The Eagle Theatre @ Sugar Hill
5029 W Broad ST NE, Sugar Hill, GA 30518
SHOW SCHEDULE
Friday, August 22, 2025 (6:00 PM to 9:30 PM)
6:00 – Door Opens
6:45 – Inauguration Ceremony
7:15 – जुकाम जारी है (Cold Continues) (Hindi) – Dhoop Chaoon Hindi Theater Group, Atlanta
8:00 – Q&A and Break
8:30 – सांगाती – हमराही (Fellow Traveler) (Hindi) – Performing Arts Community of Atlanta
9:00 – Q&A and Closing
Saturday, August 23, 2025 (12:00 PM to 7:00 PM)
12:00 – Door Opens
1:00 – Aabaha Samman Award Giving Ceremony
2:00 – Shikhandi (English) – ECTA, NJ
3:00 – Q&A and Break
3:30 – মেঘে ঢাকা তারা (The Could-Capped Star) (Bengali) – Aabaha, Atlanta
5:00 – Q&A and Break
6:30 – শুভদৃষ্টি (At First Glance) (Bengali) – ENAD, Boston
6:00 – Q&A and Closing
Sunday, August 24, 2025 (12:00 PM to 6:00 PM)
12:00 – Door Opens
12:15 – Group Discussion
2:00 – ইঁদুর দৌড় (The Rat Race) (Bengali) – Chicago Naytogoshthi
3:00 – Q&A and Break
3:30 – গোত্রহীন (Across The Bridge) (Bengali) – DFW Play, Dallas
4:30 – Q&A and Break
5:00 – একটি আধুনিক উপাখ্যান (A Modern Story) (Bengali) – Aabaha, Atlanta
6:00 – Q&A and Closing
After each play a Q&A session is held to discuss about the story line, artistic techniques, back stories and any relevant topics among audience, talents (on and off stage), directors, and producers.
AABAHA SAMMAN
Aabaha is thrilled and honored to announce that Dr. Sudipta Bhawmik will be presented with the Aabaha Samman Award for his extraordinary contributions to the world of theater, particularly for his pioneering work and unwavering commitment to Bengali theater in the USA.
Group Discussion
The impact and relevancy of community theater and immigrant culture in the United States.
Poster show on Indian theater
Showcase the legacy of renowned thespians and an exclusive collection of photographs.
ART EXHIBITION
Support and promote local artists, providing them with a platform to reach a wider audience.
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মেঘে ঢাকা তারা (The Cloud-Capped Star)
Theater Group: Aabaha (Atlanta, GA)
Playwright: Ujjwal Chattopadhyay
Direction: Kallol Nandi
Talents (on stage): Akashleena Sayed, Amartya Banerjee, Amartya Samaddar, Anirban Ghosh, Harpriya Kaur, Kaustabh Datta, Kaushik Datta, Mahuya Mandal, Sarbani Samadder, Subhadeep Ghosh, Suduti Lahiri, and more.
Talents (off stage): Ambarish Mitra (Light), Sudipta Samanta (Audio), Saugata Mandal (Video), Deepashree Nagathihalli Shivaramaiah (Stage Manager), Richa Samanta (Emcee), and Banhi Nandi (Production Manager).
Language: Bengali
Runtime: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Synopsis: Based on Ritwik Ghatak’s acclaimed film and the original novel by Shaktipada Rajguru, Meghe Dhaka Tara is a haunting portrayal of sacrifice, displacement, and resilience in post-Partition Bengal.
At the heart of the story is Neeta, a young woman who becomes the emotional and financial backbone of her refugee family after they flee to Kolkata following the Partition of India. Despite her own dreams and desires—for love, education, and a life of her own—Neeta silently endures exploitation and betrayal by those closest to her. Her sacrifices go unnoticed as she is gradually consumed by duty, until a breaking point comes too late.
This deeply human tale explores the tragic cost of selflessness, the destructive nature of dependency, and the silent erosion of identity. Rich with symbolism, poetry, and pain, Meghe Dhaka Tara is a timeless narrative that continues to resonate with generations forced to choose between self and society.
About the Theater Group: Founded in 2019, Aabaha is a collective of non-equity theater enthusiasts based in greater Atlanta, driven by a desire to explore the endless possibilities of this unique art form. Not being satisfied with the status quo of traditional theater techniques we are pushing the boundaries of theater to create bold new experiences that connect with audiences on a deeper emotional level. We experiment with the established norms of theater, refine the form and structure of plays to spark new ideas and perspectives. With the rise of electronic gizmos and digital media, we take theaters through new doors that were never thought possible.
Aabaha Inc is a 501(c)(3) domestic nonprofit organization registered in the state of Georgia, USA.
একটি আধুনিক উপাখ্যান (A Modern Story)
Theater Group: Aabaha (Atlanta, GA)
Playwright: Mainak Sengupta
Direction: Kallol Nandi
Talents (on stage): Prabir Bhattacharyya, Kaushik Bardhan, Pranjal Karmakar, and Shubhagato Bhattacharjee
Talents (off stage): Ambarish Mitra (Light), Sudipta Samanta (Audio), Saugata Mandal (Video), Deepashree Nagathihalli Shivaramaiah (Stage Manager), Richa Samanta (Emcee), and Banhi Nandi (Production Manager).
Language: Bengali
Runtime: 50 Minutes
Synopsis: Based on short story “The Suitor and Papa” authored by Russian writer Anton Chekhov, the play “A Modern Story” (একটি আধুনিক উপাখ্যান) describes the futility of marriage, relationship, and family in a modern society, delineates a contemporary society in which marriage is given secondary importance rather than job and enjoyment.
About the Theater Group: Founded in 2019, Aabaha is a collective of non-equity theater enthusiasts based in greater Atlanta, driven by a desire to explore the endless possibilities of this unique art form. Not being satisfied with the status quo of traditional theater techniques we are pushing the boundaries of theater to create bold new experiences that connect with audiences on a deeper emotional level. We experiment with the established norms of theater, refine the form and structure of plays to spark new ideas and perspectives. With the rise of electronic gizmos and digital media, we take theaters through new doors that were never thought possible.
Aabaha Inc is a 501(c)(3) domestic nonprofit organization registered in the state of Georgia, USA.
শুভদৃষ্টি (At First Glance)
Theater Group: ENAD (Boston, MA)
Playwright and Direction: Shanto Ghosh
Talents (on stage): Mousumi Dey and Shanto Ghosh.
Talents (off stage): Ambarish Mitra (Light), Sudipta Samanta (Audio)
Language: Bengali
Runtime: 50 Minutes
Synopsis: TBD
About the Theater Group: Enad was a theater group that was started in the Bay Area in early 2000. Subsequently, it has presence in Bay Area, Bangalore and Boston. Enad’s mission is to perform original plays with contemporary social issues.
Shikhandi
Theater Group: ECTA (New Jersey)
Playwright: Sudipta Bhawmik
Direction: Sumak Mukhopadhyay
Talents (on stage): Sudipta Majumdar.
Talents (off stage): Ambarish Mitra (Light), Sudipta Samanta (Audio)
Language: English
Runtime: 60 Minutes
Synopsis: TBD
About the Theater Group: Coming soon.
जुकाम जारी है (Cold Continues)
Theater Group: Performing Arts Community of Atlanta
Playwright: K. P. Saxena
Direction: Sandhya Saxena Bhagat
Talents (on stage): coming soon
Talents (off stage): Ambarish Mitra (Light), Sudipta Samanta (Audio)
Language: Hindi
Runtime: 45 Minutes
Synopsis: TBD
About the Theater Group: Dhoop Chaoon is one-of-a-kind theatre group based in Atlanta, Georgia since 2007. In fast-paced lives of today, Dhoop Chaoon thrives forward with 2 main objectives, one to keep our languages & culture alive and second, of course; to entertain. It takes everyday lives of normal people and presents their stories, adventures and brings them to the stage. Dhoop Chaoon (Sunlight-shade) has more than 130 permanent members. The programs presented are based on literature written by famous writers like – Mohan Rakesh, Amrita Pritam. Premchand, Kaka Haathrasi, K.P. Saxena, Rabinder Nath Tagore, Bhishm Sahni. That is adapted for stage presentation. Sometimes Sandhya writes her own scripts. This group has performed at different venues in Atlanta and other cities of America.
सांगाती – हमराही (Fellow Traveler)
Theater Group: Performing Arts Community of Atlanta
Playwright: Ratnakar Matkari
Hindi Adaption: Arvind Kansal
Direction: Sachin Bapat
Talents (on stage): Ritambhara Mittal and Sachin BapatGhosh.
Talents (off stage): Ambarish Mitra (Light), Sudipta Samanta (Audio)
Language: Hindi
Runtime: 30 Minutes
Synopsis: TBD
About the Theater Group: Coming up …
ইঁদুর দৌড় (The Rat Race)
Theater Group: Chicago Natyogoshthi
Playwright: Dibyava Ghosh
Direction: Satarupa Nandi
Talents (on stage): TBA
Talents (off stage): Ambarish Mitra (Light), Sudipta Samanta (Audio)
Language: Bengali
Runtime: 60 Minutes
Synopsis: TBA
About the Theater Group: Chicago Natyogoshthi (CNG) is a not-for-profit association of like minded people in the Chicagoland area who are passionate about theater. CNG is not a community organization, rather an amateur theater club where the collective interest of theater loving individuals is paramount.
গোত্রহীন (Across The Bridge)
Theater Group: DFW Play
Playwright: Rudraprasad Sengupta
Direction: Rajarshi Bhattacharyya
Talents (on stage): Naomi Alam, Arnab Mukhurjee, Debroop Dasgupta, Sayanhika Bhattacharyya, Souvonik Mondal, Noel Siddiqee, and Rajarshi Bhattacharyya
Talents (off stage): Ambarish Mitra (Light), Sudipta Samanta (Audio)
Language: Bengali
Runtime: 60 Minutes
Synopsis: In a cramped immigrant apartment in Jackson Heights, Salek, a long settled Bangladeshi, clings to tradition, pride, and his role as head of the household. Living with his quiet, perceptive wife Joynab and their orphaned niece Shaheen, whom they’ve raised since childhood, Salek’s authority goes unquestioned, until love and change arrive at his doorstep.
When Joynab’s undocumented cousins, the stoic Enayet and the free-spirited Nilu, arrive from Chittagong seeking work, Salek reluctantly shelters them. But when Shaheen and Nilu fall in love, Salek’s unease turns into jealousy and silent rage.
What begins as protective concern spirals into obsession, as Salek finds himself unable to separate honor from desire, or tradition from control. In his attempt to hold the family together, he betrays what it means to be one.
About the Theater Group: DFW Play is a Dallas-based, non-profit theater organization founded in 2015, committed to telling compelling South Asian stories. Through performances in Bengali, English and Hindi, the group explores themes of identity, community, and cultural memory. With a mix of classic works, original scripts, and bold adaptations, DFW Play creates space for underrepresented narratives on the Texas stage. Its ensemble includes both emerging and seasoned artists, driven by a passion for authentic, resonant storytelling.
