ABCD (the play) by Lily Abha Cratsley
Los Angeles, California | Theatre
Drama, Comedy
New play ABCD offers an untold narrative in the canon of South Asian-American theater: What does it mean to be an "American Born Confused Desi"? ABCD unravels the relationships between a daughter, a mother, and a Nani as they reunite for the first time in years and navigate their dual identities.
ABCD (the play) by Lily Abha Cratsley
Los Angeles, California | Theatre
Drama, Comedy
1 Campaigns | California, United States
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New play ABCD offers an untold narrative in the canon of South Asian-American theater: What does it mean to be an "American Born Confused Desi"? ABCD unravels the relationships between a daughter, a mother, and a Nani as they reunite for the first time in years and navigate their dual identities.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
ABCD by Lily Abha Cratsley
In ABCD, three generations of Indian women reunite to attend Tara’s Arangetram (the debut solo performance for students of the Indian classical dance style Bharatanatyam). While preparing a celebratory dinner in her absence, Tara’s sister, mother, and grandmother clash and comfort one another. Willow, Tara’s younger sister and bold academic, is eager to learn all that her Nani can teach her about her culture. Aditi, a freshly divorced mom, finds herself stuck between an overbearing mother and a critical daughter in her new home. Nani, the family's matriarch, must face Jersey City once again after having moved back to India. What will happen when loss, love, and longing are shared across the dinner table?
Production History
ABCD was previously a featured finalist in two new works festivals with virtual readings directed by the inimitable Reena Dutt. For the Occidental College New Works Festival, the cast was comprised of Nikita Chaudhry, Shivani Thakkar, and Shruti Tewari. At the Garry Marshall Theatre New Works Festival, Anjani Joshi, Sharmila Devar, and Suni M! took on the leading roles. This talented group of Indian creatives all agree that it is time for ABCD to get on its feet!
About the Playwright
My name is Lily Abha Cratsley, and I wrote ABCD because I wanted to love my mother better. The play is not auto-biographical, but it is inspired by my family's immigration experience, and the experiences of our friends in the community. My Nani was born in the year India became independent and immigrated to the U.S. with her husband, my Nana, in 1970. She raised my mother and uncle in New Jersey, where the real Indian hate group, the Dotbusters, rose in the 1980s. During my youth, my Nani and Nana decided to move back to India. As I grew up, we did our best to bridge the distance and reunite in New Jersey or New Delhi every few years. When I was 15, I even went to live with them in Gurgaon for a summer! Our story is not the same as Willow, Tara, Aditi, and Nani; but we did navigate many of the same dynamics.
So many pieces of my family and my own feelings found their way into this play. It is a deeply personal piece, and I am honored to have been given a platform to share it. Please join me and witness a window into my community this November.
Event Dates
Saturday, November 11, 2023
3pm Matinee Performance
4:30pm Diwali Mela Celebration!
7pm Evening Performance
Sunday, November 12, 2023
5pm VIP Diwali Pre-Show Reception
7pm Evening Performance
Saturday, November 18, 2023
3pm Matinee Performance
5pm Short Film Screening with Rickshaw Film Foundation!
7pm Evening Performance
Sunday, November 19, 2023
7pm Evening Performance
ADDED SHOWS
Friday, December 1
7pm Evening Performance
Saturday, December 2
3pm Matinee Performance
7pm Evening Performance
Please consider joining our movement on Seed&Spark and/or reserving your own spot in the audience at greenwaycourttheatre.org.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Spread the Word!
Costs $2,000
This covers the costs of our printed materials like programs and posters, as well as fees for videography and videography.
Create Aditi's Kitchen!
Costs $2,000
Help us build Aditi's small apartment! These funds are for our props and set, so we can bring the world of the play to life on stage!
Feed the Family!
Costs $1,000
Help us provide our audiences and the ABCD team with delicious food, fun activities, and live entertainment at our community events.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
This production of ABCD is spearheaded by three strong Desi women producing, directing, and writing the script, and another group of three talented Desi women portraying the characters on stage. We are grateful to be surrounded by allies and supporters in the theater world who bring their expertise and cultural competency to the rehearsal room everyday.
Our Cast
(from left to right)
Nikita Chaudry as Willow
Sonal Shah as Aditi
Suni M! as Nani
Our Team
Playwright - Lily Abha Cratsley
Director - Mehr Kaur
Producer - Shivani Thakkar
Stage Manager - Kai Morfín
Assistant Stage Manager - Simran Fulton
Dramaturg - Arnab Banerji
Scenic Designer - Jane Hamor
Lighting Designer - Hayden Kirschbaum
Sound Designer - Nicolas Diaz
A Message from the Playwright:
I am a playwright and performer who dives into dissonance. My creative work centers liminal spaces like the tumultuous water between America and India where I locate my identity. As an emerging playwright of color, I have faced repeated barriers in my development. Many theaters are afraid to invest their time and money in "unfamiliar narratives," like mine. They fear that their audiences will find stories about Indian women unrelatable or confusing without cultural context... I am thrilled to have finally found collaborators for this project, however, that are not so close minded.
KriyaShakti Performing Arts & Greenway Arts Alliance will be co-producing the first staged performances of ABCD this November at the Greenway Court Theatre in Los Angeles! We share a belief in the power of art to bridge boundaries and deeply nourish communities. We both know that diverse voices can spread universal messages even when their experiences are specific to their identity.
So ... on November 11th, 12th, 18th, and 19th, my community's voices will finally be heard in a deserving venue! Please consider joining our movement on Seed&Spark and/or reserving your own spot in the audience at greenwaycourttheatre.org.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
ABCD by Lily Abha Cratsley
In ABCD, three generations of Indian women reunite to attend Tara’s Arangetram (the debut solo performance for students of the Indian classical dance style Bharatanatyam). While preparing a celebratory dinner in her absence, Tara’s sister, mother, and grandmother clash and comfort one another. Willow, Tara’s younger sister and bold academic, is eager to learn all that her Nani can teach her about her culture. Aditi, a freshly divorced mom, finds herself stuck between an overbearing mother and a critical daughter in her new home. Nani, the family's matriarch, must face Jersey City once again after having moved back to India. What will happen when loss, love, and longing are shared across the dinner table?
Production History
ABCD was previously a featured finalist in two new works festivals with virtual readings directed by the inimitable Reena Dutt. For the Occidental College New Works Festival, the cast was comprised of Nikita Chaudhry, Shivani Thakkar, and Shruti Tewari. At the Garry Marshall Theatre New Works Festival, Anjani Joshi, Sharmila Devar, and Suni M! took on the leading roles. This talented group of Indian creatives all agree that it is time for ABCD to get on its feet!
About the Playwright
My name is Lily Abha Cratsley, and I wrote ABCD because I wanted to love my mother better. The play is not auto-biographical, but it is inspired by my family's immigration experience, and the experiences of our friends in the community. My Nani was born in the year India became independent and immigrated to the U.S. with her husband, my Nana, in 1970. She raised my mother and uncle in New Jersey, where the real Indian hate group, the Dotbusters, rose in the 1980s. During my youth, my Nani and Nana decided to move back to India. As I grew up, we did our best to bridge the distance and reunite in New Jersey or New Delhi every few years. When I was 15, I even went to live with them in Gurgaon for a summer! Our story is not the same as Willow, Tara, Aditi, and Nani; but we did navigate many of the same dynamics.
So many pieces of my family and my own feelings found their way into this play. It is a deeply personal piece, and I am honored to have been given a platform to share it. Please join me and witness a window into my community this November.
Event Dates
Saturday, November 11, 2023
3pm Matinee Performance
4:30pm Diwali Mela Celebration!
7pm Evening Performance
Sunday, November 12, 2023
5pm VIP Diwali Pre-Show Reception
7pm Evening Performance
Saturday, November 18, 2023
3pm Matinee Performance
5pm Short Film Screening with Rickshaw Film Foundation!
7pm Evening Performance
Sunday, November 19, 2023
7pm Evening Performance
ADDED SHOWS
Friday, December 1
7pm Evening Performance
Saturday, December 2
3pm Matinee Performance
7pm Evening Performance
Please consider joining our movement on Seed&Spark and/or reserving your own spot in the audience at greenwaycourttheatre.org.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Spread the Word!
Costs $2,000
This covers the costs of our printed materials like programs and posters, as well as fees for videography and videography.
Create Aditi's Kitchen!
Costs $2,000
Help us build Aditi's small apartment! These funds are for our props and set, so we can bring the world of the play to life on stage!
Feed the Family!
Costs $1,000
Help us provide our audiences and the ABCD team with delicious food, fun activities, and live entertainment at our community events.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
This production of ABCD is spearheaded by three strong Desi women producing, directing, and writing the script, and another group of three talented Desi women portraying the characters on stage. We are grateful to be surrounded by allies and supporters in the theater world who bring their expertise and cultural competency to the rehearsal room everyday.
Our Cast
(from left to right)
Nikita Chaudry as Willow
Sonal Shah as Aditi
Suni M! as Nani
Our Team
Playwright - Lily Abha Cratsley
Director - Mehr Kaur
Producer - Shivani Thakkar
Stage Manager - Kai Morfín
Assistant Stage Manager - Simran Fulton
Dramaturg - Arnab Banerji
Scenic Designer - Jane Hamor
Lighting Designer - Hayden Kirschbaum
Sound Designer - Nicolas Diaz
A Message from the Playwright:
I am a playwright and performer who dives into dissonance. My creative work centers liminal spaces like the tumultuous water between America and India where I locate my identity. As an emerging playwright of color, I have faced repeated barriers in my development. Many theaters are afraid to invest their time and money in "unfamiliar narratives," like mine. They fear that their audiences will find stories about Indian women unrelatable or confusing without cultural context... I am thrilled to have finally found collaborators for this project, however, that are not so close minded.
KriyaShakti Performing Arts & Greenway Arts Alliance will be co-producing the first staged performances of ABCD this November at the Greenway Court Theatre in Los Angeles! We share a belief in the power of art to bridge boundaries and deeply nourish communities. We both know that diverse voices can spread universal messages even when their experiences are specific to their identity.