Lyric Arts Announces The Cast Of The World Premiere Production Of LOG KYA KAHENGE

Lyric Arts Company of Anoka has announced the cast of LOG KYA KAHENGE, the World Premiere play by Aamera Siddiqui with music composed by Adarsh Rajaraman, exploring the stigma around mental health and what happens when “Log Kya Kahenge” or “What will people say” becomes the gauge by which we live our lives.

The play, in collaboration with Exposed Brick Theatre and South Asian Arts & Theater House (SAATH) is directed by Suzy Messerole. Messerole directs a stellar cast including Sayali Amarapurkar, Lauren Rae Anderson, Ankita Ashrit, Madhu Bangalore, Chaitanya Bhandare, Jonathan Feld, Sarada Ganesh, Anjali Gopal, Kayla Hambek, Leif Jurgensen, Amirah Mahmood, Divya Maiya, Aishu Nagasunder, Manju Nayar, and Sandesh Sukhram.

Sofia Khan has been given the recipe for a perfect life: take one perfect job at a prestigious hospital, add in a perfect fiancé, stir in one high-end condo, and top it all off with an upcoming epic Indian wedding of mega proportions. This list of ingredients should surely guarantee happiness. But beneath the layers lies a painful truth that no one wants to talk about—a truth that keeps rising to the top, threatening to ruin the perfect mix for Sofia.

If you've grown up in a Desi home, you've most likely heard the phrase LOG KYA KAHENGE—a famous Hindi and Urdu saying that translates as "What will people say?" In this world premiere, local Twin Cities' playwright Aamera Siddiqui explores the stigma around mental health and what happens when “What will people say?” becomes the gauge by which we live our lives.

“This is such a relevant play,” shares Suzy Messerole, Co-Artistic Director at Exposed Brick Theatre and Production Director for LOG KYA KAHENGE. “There are so many important discussions happening about eliminating stigmas around mental health and increasing access to culturally competent mental health resources. Playwright Aamera Siddiqui is adding her voice to this deeply important topic and doing so with humor and heart.”

The cast of LOG KYA KAHENGE features a cast nearly all making their debut at Lyric Arts including Sayali Amarapurkar, Lauren Rae Anderson, Ankita Ashrit, Madhu Bangalore, Chaitanya Bhandare, Jonathan Feld, Sarada Ganesh, Anjali Gopal, Kayla Hambek (Lyric Arts: Silent Sky, She Loves Me), Leif Jurgensen, Amirah Mahmood, Divya Maiya, Aishu Nagasunder, Manju Nayar, and Sandesh Sukhram

The artistic team for LOG KYA KAHENGE includes Suzy Messerole (director), Aishu Nagasunder (Assistant Director), Michaela Lochen (Scenic Designer), Samantha Fromm Haddow (Costume Designer), Mitchell Frazier (Lighting Designer), Bailey Fenn(Sound Designer/Projections Programmer), Visal Anandakumar (Asst. Sound Designer) Isabella Freeland (Properties Designer), and Amanda Oporto (Stage Manager), Callie Aho (Intimacy Consultant), Layla Curley (Illustrator), Sandesh Sukhram (Run Crew).

LOG KYA KAHENGE will run Oct 18 – Nov 3, 2024 at the Lyric Arts Main Street Stage. Single tickets start at $39. Group, senior, student, and other discounts are available. Tickets are on sale now through the box office at 763.422.1838 or online at www.lyricarts.org. Post-show discussions and access services (ASL/AD performances) are available on select dates and by request. 

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