Sati: Goddess Incarnate investigates an important and pressing question: what happens when the stories we tell ourselves begin to affect our reality?
54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Sati: Goddess Incarnate, a musical epic in concert, at 54 Below on Saturday, July 1, 2023 at 9:30pm.
In a rural village in India, an 18-year-old girl was burned alive on the funeral pyre of her deceased husband. The townspeople all stick to the same story: the girl went willingly and was touched by the Mother Goddess, Sati. She was chosen to do this. Sati: Goddess Incarnate is loosely inspired by the true story of Roop Kanwar, the last recorded case of the practice of sati—widow burning—in India, and tells a story that is yet to be told: Roop's story. Featuring a score which blends Carnatic and Western classical music with musical theater, book and lyrics by Vaibu Mohan, music by Zachary Catron, and an all South Asian cast, Sati: Goddess Incarnate investigates an important and pressing question: what happens when the stories we tell ourselves begin to affect our reality?
Featuring (in cast order) Devi Peot, Miriam A. Laube, Mariya Reza, Usman Ali Mughal, Mukta Phatak, Savidu Geevaratne, Vaibu Mohan, Khyati Sehgal, Swetha Vissapragada, Sarah Nandola, and Isha Narayanan. Direction by Thalia Ranjbar. Music Direction by Mona Seyed-Bolorforosh. Associate Music Direction by Greg Paladino. Also featuring Ryan Blihovde on percussion and Greg Paladino on piano.
Sati: Goddess Incarnate plays 54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on July 1, 2023. There is a $30-$70 cover charge ($34.50-$78.50 with fees) and $25 food and beverage minimum. Tickets and information are available at www.54Below.org. Tickets on the day of performance after 4:00pm are only available by calling (646) 476-3551.
VAIBU MOHAN is an Indian-American multi-hyphenate artist based in New York City. She comes from a family full of artists and began her artistic life as a Bharatanatyam dancer under the tutelage of her mother, Dr. Srimathy Mohan, at Silambam Phoenix. Vaibu received her BM from Arizona State University in Musical Theatre Performance and her MFA from New York University in Musical Theatre Writing where she met her better half, Zachary Catron, and began developing Sati: Goddess Incarnate. Her work has been featured at Lincoln Center, Rattlestick Theatre, Brooklyn Children's Theatre, The American Opera Project, 54 Below, and Greenroom 42. She was also a 2021 Write Out Loud Finalist. Vaibu dedicates this piece to her foremothers and the women of the world who are continually silenced. This story is for them.
ZACHARY CATRON is an award-winning composer, lyricist, and performer who bridges the gap between new opera and musical theatre. New York City premieres include: the ballet Training in Love(Rovaco Dance Company), the string quartet Lessons Learned (JACK Quartet), Growing Pains(commissioned by clarinetist Francesca Gray), the chamber opera Tin Man (NYU/AOP Opera Lab), and the full-length musical The Battle, Not the War which received its concert premiere at 54 Below in June 2019. A composer of many styles, Catron released his first J-pop single, “Tokimeki (Heart Pounding)”, as part of the East-Meets-West project, with lyrics by Momo Akashi and vocals by Joo Won Shin (“Squid Game”). He is an alum of the NYU Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program and a member of ASCAP.
54 Below is committed to the health of its performers, staff, and guests and has created a Safety Plan to ensure safe conditions along with optimum performing conditions. Additional information on our safety protocols can be found here. 54 Below has installed improved air circulation and filtering systems. Based on CDC and New York State guidelines at the time of performance, safety protocols and seating capacity may change, and policies may be adjusted as is appropriate.
54 Below, a recipient of the 2022 TONY AWARDS Honor for Excellence in the Theatre, is a non-profit organization with a mission to preserve the music of Broadway and expand the art of the cabaret while growing opportunities for diverse communities of emerging and established artists and providing unparalleled audience experiences.
It was founded as a place for the Broadway community to celebrate Broadway performers, both established and new, who sing not only the music of Broadway and the Great American Songbook, but also new material intended for Broadway and off-Broadway stages. One of the most in demand venues in the city presenting over 700 shows per year, the club features fine dining and superb scenic, lighting, and sound designs entirely imagined by Broadway designers. For performers, writers, musicians, and more, 54 Below gives opportunities to advance their craft, expand their repertoires, and develop their voices in a way that is more personal, making them stronger as artists. It gives Broadway fans an opportunity to see their favorite artists in a different way, deepening their relationship and understanding of their talent.
54 Below celebrates Broadway musicals and writers of the past and present, promoting an ongoing engagement with their work. It is also a place for innovation in musical songwriting and performance. Collaborations born at 54 Below give rise to and help develop new theatrical projects and new musicals. In addition, its popular streaming video activities and audio recordings support these activities, helping to build a new Broadway audience worldwide, both in age and geography.
Located at 254 West 54th Street, the club presents live shows at 7pm and 9:30pm. Tickets and information at 54below.org.
# # #
* * *
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Vaibu Mohan <vaibumohan@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, May 31, 2023 at 12:39 PM
Subject: For Immediate Release: Sati: Goddess Incarnate Press Release
To:
Hello!
Hope you're having a lovely day. I hope you find our press release for Sati: Goddess Incarnate's debut concert below. Let me know if you need any additional information.
All my best, Vaibu Mohan
https://www.mohancatronproductions.com
Videos