Meet the Cast of LIFE OF PI, Beginning Previews on Broadway Tonight!

Lolita Chakrabarti's stage adaption of Yann Martel's best-selling novel Life of Pi begins previews tonight, March 9. The play will officially open at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street) on Thursday, March 30, 2023.

LIFE OF PI is directed by Max Webster, with Set and Costume design by Olivier Award winner Tim Hatley, Puppet and Movement Direction by Finn Caldwell, Puppet Design by Olivier Award winners Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, Video Design by Olivier Award winner Andrzej Goulding, Lighting Design by Olivier Award winner Tim Lutkin, Sound Design by Carolyn Downing, Original Music by Andrew T Mackay, and Dramaturgy by Jack Bradley.

Meet the cast of Life of Pi below!

Hiran Abeysekera

(PI)

Training: RADA. Theatre: Botticelli in the Fire (Hampstead Theatre); Life of Pi (Sheffield Crucible Theatre); The Prisoner (Théâtre Des Bouffes Du Nord); Cymbeline, Hamlet; The Taming Of The Shrew (RSC); Peter Pan (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre); Behind the Beautiful Forevers and War Horse Prom (National Theatre); Rats Tales (Manchester Royal Exchange) and Tartuffe (English Touring Theatre). TV: Good Karma Hospital Series 4; Holby City; Find Me In Paris; A Midsummer Night's Dream. Radio: Tumanbay; Broken Paradise; The Last Time I Saw Richard.

Adi Dixit

(PI Alternate)

A.R.T.: Debut. TV: "Young Sheldon."

Film: Sweethearts.

Education/Training: Acting BFA, University of Southern California.

Brian Thomas Abraham

(Cook/Voice of Richard Parker)

(he/him/his) A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts 1 & 2 (original company, Hagrid). Regional: Mark Taper Forum, Geffen Playhouse, Berkshire Theatre Group, Milwaukee Rep, Laguna Playhouse, San Diego Rep. TV: "Super Pumped," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," "The Shield," "Drake and Josh," "Victorious," "As The World Turns" (recurring). Film: The Cut Up (by Yussef El Guindi), The Housewife, Defensive Justice. VR180: The Fortune Teller (Director, multiple Virtual Reality Film Festival selections; streams 2023). Training: University of North Carolina School of The Arts. BrianThomasAbraham.com

Rajesh Bose

(Father)

(he/him/his) A.R.T.: Debut. Off-Broadway: Pygmalion, The Crucible, Persuasion, Bedlam; Henry VI, NAATCO; Indian Ink, Roundabout; Against the Hillside, EST. Regional: This Much I Know, Aurora; Oslo, St. Louis Rep; Mary Stuart, Folger; Guards at the Taj, Capital Stage; Invisible Hand, Westport Country Playhouse, TheaterWorks Hartford; The Who & The What, Gulfshore Playhouse, TheaterWorks Hartford; Disgraced, Playmakers Rep, The Huntington, Long Wharf Theatre (Connecticut Critics Circle Award, IRNE Nomination). TV/Film: "Law & Order: Organized Crime," "Bull," "Quantico," "Blue Bloods," "Elementary," "Damages," Frozen River. Education: Emerson College.

Nikki Calonge

(Richard Parker/Puppeteer)

(she/her/hers/siya) A.R.T.: Debut. Off-Broadway: Psychic Self Defense, HERE; Esperpento, Sundance Institute; She Counts Her Dresses, The Public Theater's Under the Radar's Incoming! Series; Electric Lucifer, The Kitchen; Daily Life Everlasting, Eterniday, LaMama; A Play on War, Connelly Theater. Awards: Tom Murrin Award. Education: Drama B.F.A., NYU/Tisch's Experimental Theater Wing and Playwrights Horizons Theater School; Dance/Movement Therapy M.S. Pratt Institute student.

Mahnaz Damania

(Ensemble)

(she/her/hers) is ecstatic to make her Broadway debut! (Selected credits) Theatre: (U.S.A) Life Of Pi at ART. (India) Shikhandi - The Story of the Inbetweens (Nominated - Best Actor. Winner - Best Ensemble META 2018), 07/07/07 (Winner - Best Ensemble META 2016), Naqqaash, Sundays With Chitra and Chaitali, Three Women. TV: New Amsterdam, Inside Edge. Film: The Wandering Earth II, Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, Tu Hai Mera Sunday. This actor/writer has performed on some of the most illustrious stages in India and now continues her journey on one of the most prominent spaces for theatre in the world! She is so grateful to have a family that has always supported her dreams and aspirations, always believed in her talent and hard work.

Fred Davis

(Richard Parker/Puppeteer)

(he/him/his) A.R.T.: Debut. Theater: Life of Pi (Olivier Award, Best Supporting Actor), Wyndham's Theatre; Ocean at the End of the Lane, National Theatre; Dido and Aeneas, Bodø Concert Hall, Norway; Life of Pi, The Sheffield Crucible Theatre; Peter Pan, Running Wild, Regents Park Open Air Theatre; The Hartlepool Monkey, Running Wild, UK Tour. Film/TV: "Don't Hug Me I'm Scared;" Jurassic World: Dominion; "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance." Training: Chichester Festival Youth Theatre.

Avery Glymph

(Father Martin/Russian Sailor/Rear Admiral Jackson)

A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: The Skin of Our Teeth, The Tempest. Off-Broadway: Roundabout Theatre Company, New York Shakespeare Festival, and Lincoln Center Theatre, among others. Regional: Nine Night, Round House Theatre; and leading roles with Pittsburgh City Theater, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Syracuse Stage, Northern Stage, Actors Theatre of Louisville, St. Louis Rep, Cleveland Playhouse, The Old Globe (West Coast premiere of The Whipping Man; San Diego Critics Circle Award and NAACP Theatre Award nominations), PlayMakers Rep, Crossroads Theatre (Regional Tony season), and others. Film/TV: Out and About, "Search Party," "She's Gotta Have It," He Got Game, "Madam Secretary," "Law & Order" (original and C.I.), and many more. Education: BFA, The University of North Carolina School of the Arts; MFA, The Academy at STC and the George Washington University. Instagram: @averygoodactor.AveryGlymph.com

Jon Hoche

(Ensemble)

(he/him/his) Broadway: KING KONG: Alive on Broadway (Voice of King Kong/Puppeteer). Off-Broadway: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Audrey 2 puppeteer), SOFT POWER (The Public Theater - Grammy Nominated), VIETGONE (Manhattan Theatre Club), SOUL SAMURAI, THE INEXPLICABLE REDEMPTION OF AGENT G (Ma-Yi Theater/Vampire Cowboys Theater), HELLO, FROM THE CHILDREN OF PLANET EARTH (Playwright's Realm). National Tour: WARHORSE (Puppeteer/Puppet Captain). Regional: REVENGE SONG (Geffen Playhouse) TV: Hello Tomorrow! (Apple TV+) - @JonHoche

Mahira Kakkar

(Nurse/Amma/Orange Juice)

Off-Broadway: 7 Minutes, Waterwell; Here We Are, Theater for One; Addressless, Rattlestick; Opus, Primary Stages; Harper Regan, Atlantic; Romeo and Juliet, Public Theater; The Winter's Tale, TFANA; When January Feels Like Summer, EST; Henry VI, NAATCO; Arturo Ui, Classic Stage Company; Ms. Witherspoon, Playwrights Horizons; Clive, The New Group. Regional: Life of Pi, A.R.T.; Skylight, McCarter Theatre; Rafta Rafta, Old Globe; Our Town, OSF; Monsoon Wedding, Berkeley Rep; Bedroom Farce, Huntington Theater Company; Inana, Denver Center; The Crucible, Cleveland Playhouse; Five Mile Lake, McCarter Theatre Center; Comedy of Errors, Hartford Stage, Jesus in India, Magic Theater. Film/TV: "A Suitable Boy" (series lead), "Manifest" (recurring), "New Amsterdam," "Blue Bloods," "The Blacklist," "Louie," "Odd Mom Out," "Sweet Refuge," "Bite Me," Hank and Asha (Napa Valley Film Festival Best Actress, Wild Rose Festival Best Actress, Slamdance Audience winner, Bronze Lens winner), "Law & Order," "Orange Is the New Black." Training: Juilliard, SITI, Harold Guskin; B.A. Jadavpur University mahirakakkar.com

Kirstin Louie

(Lulu Chen)

(she/her/hers) A.R.T.: Debut. Regional: The Great Wave (Hana u/s), Berkeley Rep. TV: "Endeavour" (Christina). Education: MFA, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School; Jazz Vocal Studies, University of Southern California. Equity UK member.

Rowan Ian Seamus Magee

(Richard Parker/Puppeteer)

(he/him/his) A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: Angels in America (Tony Award for Best Revival), Neil Simon Theater. Off-Broadway: Hagoromo, 69ºS, Memory Rings, BAM Harvey. International tours: The Pigeoning; Chimpanzee; Demolishing Everything with Amazing Speed, 69ºS. Film: Clifford the Big Red Dog (reference/VFX puppeteer). Curator: Object Movement Puppetry Festival and Residency (2017-2022), Center at West Park. Education: BFA, Sarah Lawrence College.

Jonathan David Martin

(Richard Parker/Puppeteer)

(he/him/his) is a performer, director, producer, and educator working at the intersection of immersive technology and live performance. Stage credits include the original Broadway cast of War Horse, North American premiere of Life of Pi (ART), The Heiress and Junk at Arena Stage, Describe the Night at Woolly Mammoth, Silent Sky at Ford's Theatre, Trouble in Mind at Two River Theater, The Chosen at Portland Center Stage, The Occupant at Theater J, and numerous productions with Washington Ensemble Theatre where he was a founding Co-Artistic Director. He is a pioneer in performance technique for VR, having starred in "Finding Pandora X" (Best Interactive Experience Venice International Film Festival VR, Audience Award at SXSW, XR Must's Best Interactive Experience). He also starred in the VR experiences "Severance Theory: Welcome To Respite" (Venice Film Fest, Kauhsiung Film Fest, Best Narrative Experience at Raindance Film Fest), "Gumball Dreams" (Audience Award at SXSW, Best Experience of 2022 - XR Must), and "Loveseat" (Venice Film Fest). He is the Producing Co-Artistic Director of Smoke & Mirrors Collaborative where he has directed the documentary web-series, "Tangible Hope Project" (Best Documentary Series-BNMWFest), and the original plays, Point of Departure and The Alien Nation. He produced and performed in the international tour and Off-Broadway hit Olityelwe (Ndebele Funeral), #HashtagProject, and created Head in the Sand. Jonathan is a 2021 Oculus Launch Pad member where he served as the Creative Producer and Narrative Designer for the forthcoming narrative VR experience, "City of Sand." University of Maryland faculty member at the Immersive Media Design program, leading research into the narrative and user experience design possibilities of AR/VR. Guest lecturer at the California State University Northridge and featured speaker at SXSW, AR/VR Policy Conference, (Re)Connect Festival, and universities around the country.

Usman Ali Mughal

(Ensemble)

(he/him/his) Broadway Debut! ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّٰه Regional: Life of Pi, ART; Come Fall in Love, The Old Globe; RENT, Signature Theatre; Legally Blonde, Mamma Mia!, Cortland Repertory Theater; The Rev Concert, The Rev; The Island of Dr. Moreau, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Synetic Theater. Readings: Come Fall in Love, We Are Ameena, In the Light. Film/TV: "WeCrashed," Wonder Woman 1984, Kringle Time, Heather Has Four Moms. Education: BFA, Musical Theater '20 from Ithaca College. I'm nothing without my Ammi. Abbas & Ayaan made me the role model I dreamt of being. The generosity of Gregory, Ashton, & Marcus is what allowed me to grace this stage. سُـبْحانَ الله @usman.ali.mughal

Uma Paranjpe

(Ensemble)

(she/her/hers) A.R.T.: Debut. Off-Broadway: tango of a crumbling wall, Teatro LATEA. Regional: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Catskill Mountain Shakespeare; Twelfth Night, CMS; Radial Gradient, Kennedy Center; Ramaavan, Surati Performing Arts. Workshops: The Gap; The Game of Love. Film/TV: "Orange Is the New Black." Education: BFA, Musical Theater, University of Miami.

Salma Qarnain

(Mrs. Biology-Kumar/Zaida Khan)

is a versatile Pakistani-American actor, thrilled to be making her Broadway debut in the adaptation of one of her favorite books. She is a two-time Helen Hayes Award recipient, an AUDELCO nominee, and an award-winning theater and film producer. She has performed across major networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, HBO, HBO Max, Hulu, Showtime), regionally, Off-Broadway, and Off West End. Most recently, she produced the 2023 Oscar-qualified short film, Silent Partner (19 festivals / 4 Oscar qualifiers; 8 awards / nominations), and Speak Up Brotha! which is premiering at the Oscar-qualifying Cleveland International Film Festival. Selected credits: Bars and Measures (Off-Broadway); Acquittal (Off-Broadway); Rain + Zoe Save the World (Off West End); That Damn Michael Che (RECUR, HBO Max); FBI (CBS); The Blacklist (NBC); Law & Order SVU (NBC); For Life (ABC). Graduate of Stanford, MIT, Harvard Business School. Proud member of SAG•AFTRA, AEA, Equity. Thank you to Roderick, Gary, Lolita, Max, Finn, Duncan, Benton, Patrick, A.R.T, and Annette for getting me here. Love you, X! For my sisters Ayesha, Sonia, and Zehra and my parents Qarnain and Rashida in the stars. IG: @salma.qarnain; salmaqarnain.com

Betsy Rosen

(Richard Parker/Puppeteer)

(she/her/hers) A.R.T.: Debut. Australia: Laser Beak Man, Sydney Opera House. Regional: Argus, Lincoln Center; Long Christmas Ride Home, Astro Boy and the God of Comics, Studio Theatre; Pride and Prejudice, Round House; A Christmas Carol, Cincinnati Playhouse, Delaware Theatre Company; The Velvet Sky, Woolly Mammoth; The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (Aslan; Helen Hayes Award), Imagination Stage. TV: "The Smack-Dab in the Middle of the Day Show." Education: Theater and Mathematics, University of Maryland, College Park.

Celia Mei Rubin

(Richard Parker/Puppeteer)

(she/her/hers) A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: A Christmas Carol, Lyceum Theatre; Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (Chita Rivera Award for Best Ensemble), Imperial Theatre; Matilda the Musical, Shubert Theatre. West End: Parade, Donmar Warehouse; Candide, London Coliseum. Regional: Eureka Day, Asolo Repertory Theatre; A Chorus Line, TUTS Houston. Awards Shows Performances: Tony Awards; Olivier Awards.

David Shih

(Ensemble)

(he/him/his) Broadway debut. Off-Broadway: Will Eno's Gnit (Theatre for a New Audience); KPOP (Ars Nova); the National Asian American Theatre Company productions of Henry VI: Shakespeare's Tragedy in Two Parts, Awake and Sing! (The Public), and [veil widow conspiracy] (Next Door @ NYTW); Once Upon A (korean) Time and Bike America (Ma-Yi Theater); Somebody's Daughter (Second Stage); Crane Story (The Playwrights Realm). Regional: Life of Pi (American Repertory Theater), Kim's Convenience (Westport Country Playhouse), The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin (Indiana Rep), The Great Wave (Berkeley Rep), Tiger Style! (La Jolla Playhouse), The King and I (Maltz Jupiter Theatre). TV/Film: "Billions," "Hunters," "City on a Hill," "Iron Fist," "The Path," "Blindspot," "Elementary," "Madam Secretary," "The Blacklist," "Unforgettable," "Mozart in the Jungle," "Blue Bloods," "Are We There Yet?," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Eighth Grade, Respect the Jux, All the Little Things We Kill, Alberto and the Concrete Jungle, Fan Girl, Saving Face. Voice of Eddie Toh in the hit video game Grand Theft Auto V.

Sathya Sridharan

(Mamaji/Pandt-Ji)

(he/him/his) Broadway debut. Off-Broadway: Wives (Playwrights Horizons), An Ordinary Muslim (NYTW), India Pale Ale (MTC), Richard II (NYSF/WNYC), Winter's Tale (Public Mobile Unit), Two Mile Hollow (WP), Ultimate Beauty Bible (Page73), Frontieres sans Frontieres (Bushwick Starr). Regional: Life of Pi (ART), Our Town (Portland Center Stage), Hapgood (Williamstown), The Philadelphia Story (Chautauqua). TV: "Little America", "Succession", "Kaleidoscope", "Blindspot", "Prodigal Son", "Two Sentence Horror Stories"; Film: The Whale, Minor Premise, Bikini Moon, Black And White And Red All Over, Dastaar. Princess Grace Award Recipient (Grace Le Vine Award). MFA: NYU Grad Acting.

Daisuke Tsuji

(Mr. Okamoto/Captain)

(he/him/his) A.R.T.: Debut. Regional: Cambodian Rock Band (Duch), South Coast Rep, OSF, La Jolla Playhouse; Snow in Midsummer (Handsome), OSF; With Love and a Major Organ, Boston Court Pasadena; Imogen Says Nothing (William Shakespeare), Yale Rep; The Orphan of Zhao (The Orphan of Zhao), American Conservatory Theater, La Jolla Playhouse. International: Dralion (Public Clown), Cirque du Soleil. TV: "Invasion," "Love, Death & Robots," "Brockmire," "The Man in the High Castle." Video Games: Ghost of Tsushima, Death Stranding, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. Awards: LA Drama Critics Circle Award, San Diego Theater Critics Circle Award (The Craig Noel Award). Education: BA, UCLA.

Sonya Venugopal

(Rani)

(she/her/hers) is overjoyed to be making her Broadway debut with this incredible company! Regional: Life of Pi (A.R.T.), Come Fall in Love (The Old Globe), Atlantis (Virginia Rep), Annie (North Carolina Theatre). Education: MFA, Boston Conservatory; BA, Santa Clara University. Endless love to Kal, Mom, Dad, AK, and friends. Incredibly thankful to my DGRW fam, the entire creative team, and the Stewart/Whitley office. For Paati, Thatha, Grammy & Grandpa; this is OUR boat! @sonyeeahh

Scarlet Wilderink

(Richard Parker/Puppeteer)

(she/her/hers) A.R.T: Debut. West End: War Horse, New London Theatre; Life of Pi, Wyndham's Theatre (Oliver Award for Best Supporting Actor); Pinocchio, National Theatre. Off-West End: The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Southwark Playhouse; Putting It Together, The Other Palace. Regional: The Wicker Husband, Watermill Theatre; Treasure Island, Stephen Joseph Theatre; Watership Down, Watermill Theatre. UK Tour: The Comedy of Errors, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Running Wild. International: Cabaret, MAC Theatre. Education: Guildford School of Acting.

Andrew Wilson

(Richard Parker/Puppeteer)

(he/him/his) A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: Cats. Tours: Newsies The Musical, Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan, Cats, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. NYC: Dave Malloy's Love Around the Block, 2021 Met Gala. Opera: Turandot (Popolo Acrobat), Met Opera; Pagliacci (Troupe Gymnast), NYC Opera. Regional: Casa Mañana, Chase Brock Experience, Disneyland, La Mirada, MUNY, Pittsburgh CLO, Riverside, Sacramento Music Circus, TUTS. Film: Newsies: The Broadway Musical. Thank you to the entire team of Life of Pi and A.R.T. for this opportunity. Instagram: @andrewwilsonny