Fourth South Asian American Theater Festival Brings 10 Plays in Four Languages to Massachusetts
- Three-day event showcases diverse theatrical voices from across the United States with performances in English, Hindi, Marathi, and Bengali.
The fourth edition of the South Asian-American Theater Festival (SAATh IV) will present 10 plays in four languages at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown, Massachusetts, from November 21-23, 2025, organizers announced.
The festival will feature productions from theater groups across the United States, including Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Texas, with all non-English performances accompanied by English supertitles to ensure accessibility for diverse audiences.
Opening Night: Women Artists and Multilingual Theater
The festival will inaugurate on Friday, November 21, at 6:45 p.m., followed by a panel discussion at 7 p.m. titled “Challenges and Opportunities of Women Artists.”
The evening’s performances will begin at 7:45 p.m. with “White Linen Red Dot,” a multilingual production written and directed by Dipali Trivedi of Massachusetts. The opening night will conclude with “Not So Black And White,” an English and Hindi production written by playwright Subhankar Padwal and directed by Madhu Nene of Natyaranga, Massachusetts, running from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Saturday: Natya Darpan Boston Presents Four Productions
Saturday, November 22, has been designated as Natya Darpan Boston day, featuring four plays spanning three languages.
The afternoon session will open at 2:45 p.m. with “Guntata Hriday Hey – Entangled Heart,” a Marathi production written by Subhankar Padwal and directed by Dr. Durgesh Vaidya of Kalashri, Massachusetts. This will be followed at 4 p.m. by “Shiv’s Project,” an English-language play written and directed by Daniel Swern from New Jersey.
With 10 productions over three days, SAATh IV represents a significant gathering of South Asian American theatrical talent, offering audiences an opportunity to experience a wide range of storytelling traditions.
After a tea break, the evening session will resume at 5:45 p.m. with “Sukhi Manasacha Sadara,” a Marathi production written and directed by Rahul Gune from New Jersey. The day will conclude at 7 p.m. with “Gotroheen,” a Bengali play written by Rudraprasad Sengupta and directed by Rajarshi Bhattacharya of DFW Play from Texas.
Sunday: Bengali Theater and Historical Drama
The festival’s final day on Sunday, November 23, will feature four diverse productions.
The afternoon will begin at 1:45 p.m. with “Heer Waris Shah – The Awakening of Love,” an English-language historical production written and directed by Saropreet Singh of Massachusetts. At 3:15 p.m., “Park,” a Hindi play by acclaimed playwright Manav Kaul and directed by Barkha Kishnani of ICS Theatre, New Jersey, will take the stage.
Following a tea break, the festival will present two Bengali productions to close the event. At 5 p.m., “Paul o Vincent,” written and directed by Sudipta Bhawmik of ECTA, New Jersey, will be performed. The festival will conclude at 6:20 p.m. with “Dikchinnoheen,” written and directed by Sankha Bhowmick of Off-Kendrik, Massachusetts.
Diverse Theater Communities Represented
The festival brings together theater groups from multiple states, showcasing the breadth of South Asian American theatrical traditions. Massachusetts-based groups include Natyaranga, Kalashri, and Off-Kendrik, while New Jersey is represented by productions from ICS Theatre and ECTA. Texas contributes DFW Play’s Bengali production.
The inclusion of four languages—English, Hindi, Marathi, and Bengali—reflects the linguistic diversity of South Asian-American communities, while the English supertitles ensure that audiences unfamiliar with these languages can fully engage with the performances.
The Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown has become a hub for multicultural performances in the Greater Boston area, providing a professional venue for community theater groups to showcase their work.
With 10 productions over three days, SAATh IV represents a significant gathering of South Asian American theatrical talent, offering audiences an opportunity to experience a wide range of storytelling traditions, performance styles, and contemporary themes addressing the immigrant experience, cultural identity, and universal human concerns.
(Top image: “White Linen Red Dot,” a multilingual production written and directed by Dipali Trivedi)