Sound Theatre & Pratidhwani to Present Tom Stoppard's INDIAN INK

Sound Theatre Company contributes to the hot Northwest summer with the steamy, smart Seattle premiere of Indian Ink by Tom Stoppard. This passionate tale that explores art and colonialism, set on two continents and in two eras, is a co-production with South Asian cultural organization Pratidhwani, and is directed by Andrew McGinn.

Of special note, Indian Ink opens at the Center House Theatre on Saturday, August 15, which is also Independence Day in India. (India became an independent nation after British colonial rule on August 15, 1947).

Tom Stoppard (Arcadia, The Real Thing) drew on his own childhood in India to forge this evocative portrait of love and loss while crossing cultural divides. Free-spirited English poet Flora Crewe travels in India of the 1930s, where her intricate relationship with an Indian artist unfurls against the backdrop of a country seeking its independence. Fifty years later, in 1980s England, her younger sister Eleanor tries to preserve the legacy of Flora's controversial career. Little by little, Flora's mysterious past is revealed, as is the surprising story of two people whose connection lives on through art.

This is the second production of Sound Theatre Company's 2015 summer season, a pair of back-to-back Seattle premieres on the theme of Revolution and Revelation. This season, in combination with the recently completed run of ...and Jesus Moonwalks the Mississippi, is the culmination of two years work to expand the inclusivity of Sound Theatre's artistic mission to mirror the region's rich cultural tapestry of artists and audiences.

Director Andrew McGinn brings a special affinity for the work of Tom Stoppard, having been a member of the original Broadway casts of Invention of Love in 2002 and Stoppard's epic trilogy, The Coast of Utopia in 2006. Following his New York career, McGinn has become well known for his work on local stages at Seattle Repertory (The Hound of the Baskervilles), Portland Center Stage (Cyrano in Cyrano de Bergerac) and upcoming with Seattle Shakespeare Company.

This production features performers returning to both Pratidhwani and Sound Theatre Company stages alongside many new faces of local emerging artistic talent. Caitlin Frances follows her acclaimed performance in Blood Relations as the tempestuous Flora Crewe of the 1930s, with Betty Campbell joining STC as her surviving sister Eleanor in the 1980s. Indian film actor, Dhiraj Khanna is the painter Nirad Das whom Flora befriends in Jummapur, and Monish Gangwani returns to Seattle from India to portray his artist son, Anish Das. Scott Ward Abernethy (Seattle Shakespeare, Seattle Rep, Book-It) is the single-minded academic Eldon Pike who roots out Flora's story, and Frank Lawler (School for Lies, Holiday of Errors) returns to STC as Colonial Officer Captain David Durance. Pratidhwani regulars Bhushan Mehendale, Jayant Bhopatkar and Gurvinder Pal Singh join UW PATP actors Hannah Ruwe and Jonathan Shue to round out the diverse cast.

In addition, McGinn has chosen to integrate traditional Kathak dance under the direction of Pratidhwani's choreographers Moumita Bhattacharya and Gauri Kulkarni to create the Asparas, Hindu muses of sensuality. The dances of the Asparas are set to original compositions by local composer Srivani Jade.

Indian Ink opens on Saturday, August 15 for a limited run at Center Theatre at the Seattle Center Armory, 305 Harrison Street, with preview performances on August 13 and 14. Tickets are $25, $15 for students, and pay-what-you-can performances on August 13, 20, 24, and 27.

Originally written as In the Native State for radio in 1991, Indian Ink was produced in its current revised form at Roundabout Theatre Company in New York in 2014 where it played to sold-out audiences. Playwright Tom Stoppard is a Czech-born British playwright whose work is marked by verbal brilliance, ingenious action, and structural dexterity. In addition to the highly popular Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, his notable stage plays include The Real Inspector Hound, Jumpers, and Arcadia.

Sound Theatre Company was named "Theatre of the Year" by Theatre Puget Sound's 2014 Gregory Awards, Sound Theatre also received five awards including Outstanding Musical for its production of Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party. Its Seattle premiere production of A Small Fire by Adam Bock received four Gypsy Rose Lee Awards from Seattle Theatre Writers, including Excellence in Production of a Play. Launched in 2006 by Producing Artistic Director Teresa Thuman, Sound Theatre Company presents cutting-edge presentations examining the role of language and music in our world.

Pratidhwani is a non-profit cultural organization based in the Seattle area, dedicated to the promotion and cultivation of the performing arts of the Indian subcontinent. The Drama Wing of Pratidhwani stages plays in different languages from the Indian subcontinent, as well as plays based on the experiences of Indians outside India.

Cast

Flora Crewe........................... Caitlin Frances

Nirad Das................................Dhiraj Khanna

Eleanor Swan.......................... Betty Campbell

Nell/Englishwoman................ Hannah Ruwe

Eldon Pike.............................. Scott Ward Abernethy

Anish Das............................... Monish Gangwani

David Durance....................... Frank Lawler

Coomaraswami...................... Bhushan Mehendale

Eric/Resident.......................... Jonathan Shue

Rajah/Politician...................... Jayant Bhopatkar

Dilip....................................... Gurvinder Pal Singh

Apsaras Dancers ................... Nayab Bhat-Dwadasi, Gauri Kulkarni, Suma Mondal, Tanvee Kale, Naosheen Noor, Shruthi Nambi, Anita Iyer, Madhura Bhatawadekar, Pranjali Ganoo, Dorothy Phukan, Seema Shetty, Moumita Bhattacharya

Production Team

Director.................................. Andrew McGinn

Co-Producer........................... Agastya Kohli

Set Designer........................... Phillip Lienau

Costume Designer ................. Candace Frank

Lighting Designer................... Richard Schaefer

Sound Designer...................... Andrew McGinn

Props Designer...................... Ashley Banker

Composer.............................. Srivani Jade

Choreographers ..................... Moumita Bhattacharya, Gauri Kulkarni

Asst. Sound Designer............ Julian Amrine

Stage Manager........................ Ann Lowe

Asst. Stage Manager.............. John Clark

Dresser................................... Catherine Menkel-Lawrence

Production Manager.............. Abigail Pishaw

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