‘नेहा & NEEL to be Presented at The Los Angeles Theatre Center
Performances will run from October 18 to November 16.
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What happens when a college road trip turns into a search for roots, history and connection? Asian American theater collective Artists at Play and Latino Theater Company team up for their third collaboration in as many years with the joyous new comedy ???? & Neel by Ankita Raturi. Directed by Lily Tung Crystal, the world premiere opens October 18 at The Los Angeles Theatre Center, with performances continuing through November 16. Six low-priced previews take place October 9 through October 17.
Parvesh Cheena, Achintya Pandey and Pia Shah star in Raturi’s funny, heartfelt, intergenerational tale about love, family and heritage. Neha (????), an Indian immigrant and single mom, worries that she’s failed to pass her language and traditions down to her 17-year-old American-born son, Neel (???). Could a cross country college tour be her last shot? If only she can convince Neel to visit the historic Hope Diamond and witness a piece of Indian history for himself, perhaps it will turn their trip into something more.
“It feels like with every generation you have to hold on tighter,” says Raturi, a first generation American whose parents are from India. “That fear of losing connection to your culture is real, but I wanted to tackle it with warmth and humor.”
Tung Crystal, who is first-generation American-born Chinese, immediately connected to the material.
“I myself am a child of Asian immigrants, as well as a mother working to pass our family’s culture to a teenager, so I see myself in both characters,” she says. "I love plays that are both of the heart and of the mind. ???? & Neel addresses complicated themes like immigration, identity, and colonialism — all while keeping the audience laughing.”
The powerhouse creative team includes scenic designer Leah Ramillano; lighting designer Szu-Yun Wang; sound designer E.E. Bradman; Costume Designer Elena Flores; properties designer Naomi Kasahara Hamill; and dramaturg Arnab Banerji. The associate director is Katie Bradley, and the production stage manager is Lanae Wilks.
Raturi, currently based in Queens, NY, is a rising voice in American theater whose work has been developed at Theater Mu, Playwrights’ Center, New York Theatre Workshop, Roundabout, Ma-Yi Theater Company, South Coast Repertory, Playwrights Realm, and more. She holds a B.F.A. in Drama from NYU/Tisch, an M.F.A. in Playwriting from UC San Diego, and is a dedicated student of Kathak dance.
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