Theater for the New City to Debut Play Inspired by MACBETH, Set in India

Theater for the New City Executive Director Crystal Field is presenting THE QUEEN, a new play by Aditya Rawal inspired by Macbeth set in 16th-century India, during the peak of the Mughal era.

The play begins previews June 1, 2 and runs through June 19 at Theater for the New City's Cabaret Theater, 155 First Ave. in Manhattan.

The production already has attracted attention in major newspapers in India, as the work of a member of a well-known theater, TV and film family in that country.

Rawal is the son of Paresh Rawal, a Bollywood actor who has appeared in numerous movies, and Swaroop Sampat, who is also known for her work in TV, theater and film in India. His grandfather, Bachu Sampat, was the founding producer of the Indian National Theatre.

This production of a new play by Aditya Rawal, also known for his work in theater and Bollywood, brings together performers from Bollywood to Broadway in a more intimate setting.

"It explores themes of power and the position of women in society, an issue that in four centuries has not lost its importance," said Rawal, a playwright/screenwriter, actor and director from Mumbai, India.

As crowds head in to see Hamilton, based on American history, they can also see a powerful story blended with the history of India in this world premiere of a play that is already scheduled for a production by the Dramellentia Theatre Co. in India.

THE QUEEN tells the story of Durga, a woman consigned to the west wing of the palace after her husband, the Rajput king, marries a younger woman. As she battles against the loss of her beauty and relevance, she rebels and resolves to burn the palace down to take revenge for her husband King Amar's betrayal.

Rawal said the characters and plot draw inspiration from Macbeth, Medea and the works of Indian author Rabindranath Tagore, telling the story of a strong woman who grapples with her ambitions and the limitations of social structures.

"I wouldn't say that it is Macbeth set in India," said Rawal, who has appeared in theater in India as well as in Bollywood productions. "The similarity between the two plays is that an ostensibly powerful man is pushed to act by his wife who is, in many ways, much stronger than he is."

A playwright and performer, Rawal's training includes studies in India, the M.F.A. program at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts Dramatic Writing Program in New York City and theater studies at London International School of Performing Arts.

The all-star cast includes Niljanjana Bose (who appeared in Tamburlaine TFANA), Sharvari Deshpande (Monsoon Wedding, Broadway 2017), Aman Soni (Invasion) and Alok Tewari (Awake and Sing! Public/NAATCO, Monsoon Wedding).

Soni and Rawal were the original driving force behind the play, set in the region of India where they both grew up and partially inspired by Rani Padmini, a 12th century Rajput queen who led women into a fire to prevent violation at the hands of Muslim invaders.

"We were daunted by the prospect of telling the story of a once powerful queen," Soni said. "But both of us tend to take up challenges that scare us the most, so there was really no contest there."

They tapped Gwynn MacDonald, a director who presented numerous plays based on strong female characters, to bring their vision to the stage at Theater for the New City.

"I approached Gwynn," Rawal said, "because of our rapport and our work in the past, but also because we wanted to work with a strong woman who could take charge of this challenging play."

MacDonald said she believes there are far too few opportunities to play strong female characters, whether in stories set in the United States or abroad.

"I have a history of working with classical plays written by women, and got into that line because for the most part classical plays by men have not offered as many tour de force roles for actresses," she said. "Nor have these plays given audiences an abundance of opportunities to see a period story set solely from the women's point of view."

MacDonald said all the characters in THE QUEEN are well developed, but added, "It's the woman's story and her choices and responses that drive the play."

While Bollywood is well known in the United States, Rawal said there is a fairly substantial Indian theater scene in the United States, including New York and New Jersey in this region.

"Places with large Indian populations have a lot of touring groups from India that perform throughout the year," he said. "My father has been touring here for more than 20 years."

In addition to writing for theater, Rawal appeared in Kishan Kanhaiya, a play later adapted into the blockbuster Bollywood film OMG (Oh My God), for which he served as the assistant director.

He also appeared in the film Ferrari ki Sawaari, produced by Vinod Chopra Films, producers of iconic Bollywood films 3 Idiots and PK.

MacDonald is artistic director of the Juilliard alumni-founded Juggernaut Theatre Co., focusing on new work and classical plays by women. She was also assistant director for the Broadway debut ofTwelve Angry Men as well as associate director for the national tours.

Rhythm Tolee, an award-winning New York City-based Punjabi band with musicians from Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Jersey City, will play an original score and traditional songs.

The band mixes Punjabi Folk and Sufi music with more contemporary tunes. "Tolee" means "a free-spirited group of people" in Punjabi.

THE QUEEN, June 1-19, Cabaret Theater, Theater for the New City, 155 1st Ave. Thurs.-Sat. @ 8 p.m. and Sunday @ 3 p.m. Talkbacks after Thurs. shows.$15. Call (212) 254-1109 or go to www.theaterforthenewcity.net.