‘White Linen Red Dot’ Premieres at South Asian American Theater Festival, Celebrating Women’s Inner Voices
- MIT entrepreneur and Everest hiker Dipali Trivedi adapts forthcoming book into multilingual theatrical exploration of identity.
A new multilingual play exploring women’s empowerment, identity, and self-discovery will make its world premiere at the South Asian American Theater Festival (SAATH) on November 21 at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown, Massachusetts.
“White Linen Red Dot,” written and directed by Dipali Trivedi, transforms real stories gathered from years of listening to the lived experiences of women and men into a moving theatrical work that challenges traditional narratives about South Asian women’s voices.
From Lived Experience to Stage
The play, adapted from Trivedi’s forthcoming book of the same name, uses stark imagery—white linen representing restraint and tradition, a red dot symbolizing boldness and rebellion—to explore the tension between cultural expectations and individual identity.
“They say good girls don’t talk but good girls don’t make history either. These girls talk and share their inner voice—Fierce, Bold and Unapologetic!!” said Trivedi, a successful tech entrepreneur from MIT and avid hiker who summited Everest Base Camp in 2024.
Performed in multiple languages, the production captures what organizers describe as “the layered emotional landscapes of South Asian life, honoring the authenticity of each voice.”
Stories of Strength, Not Sympathy
According to the production team, “White Linen Red Dot” deliberately avoids narratives of complaint or pleas for sympathy. Instead, the play focuses on women who recognize their own strength, speak truths long held within, and reclaim the power of their inner voice.
The play fearlessly engages with provocative and culturally charged themes including jealousy, transgender identity, triple talaq (Islamic instant divorce), platonic love, and even a man’s perspective on what he perceives as the negative side of feminism.
“This is the heart of the project: a quiet yet profound assertion that true women’s empowerment emerges not from external validation, but from the courage to speak, to feel, and to stand in one’s own truth,” organizers stated.
The play fearlessly engages with provocative and culturally charged themes including jealousy, transgender identity, triple talaq (Islamic instant divorce), platonic love, and even a man’s perspective on what he perceives as the negative side of feminism. The stories celebrate resilience, clarity, and self-realization—qualities that often emerge in unexpected moments of everyday life.
Women’s Day at SAATH Festival
Off-Kendrik, the organization behind the SAATH Festival, has designated November 21 as Women’s Day within the three-day festival. The evening will feature a 7 p.m. panel discussion titled “Challenges and Opportunities of Women Artists,” followed by performances of two plays directed by women.
“White Linen Red Dot” will be performed at 7:45 p.m., followed at 8:30 p.m. by “Not So Black And White,” directed by Madhu Nene of Natyaranga, Massachusetts.
The programming reflects Off-Kendrik’s commitment to championing bold artistic voices within the South Asian community, particularly those addressing gender, identity, and cultural transformation.
Part of Larger Festival
“White Linen Red Dot” is one of 10 plays being presented during the SAATH Festival, which runs November 21-23 at the Mosesian Center for the Arts. The festival showcases productions in four languages—English, Hindi, Marathi, and Bengali—from theater groups across the United States, with all non-English performances accompanied by English supertitles.
The festival brings together theater companies from Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Texas, representing diverse South Asian theatrical traditions and contemporary perspectives on the immigrant experience, cultural identity, and universal human concerns.
Tickets for “White Linen Red Dot” and other SAATH Festival performances are available at saathfest.com/saath2025.
The premiere marks Trivedi’s emergence as a theatrical voice bridging her experiences in technology entrepreneurship, outdoor adventure, and storytelling. Her work exemplifies a growing trend of South Asian-American artists using theater to explore complex questions of cultural identity, gender expectations, and personal authenticity in contemporary American life.
(Top image: “White Linen Red Dot,” a multilingual production written and directed by Dipali Trivedi)