Heer Waris Shah - The Awakening of Love
Dir - Sarbpreet Singh
Playwright - Sarbpreet Singh
Synopsis:
Heer – The Awakening of Love is a bilingual musical production that reimagines Heer by Waris
Shah, the timeless Punjabi Qissa (fable) often hailed as Punjab’s own Romeo and Juliet. Waris
Shah, likened to Shakespeare, and celebrated for his lyrical brilliance and innovative command
of language, infuses the tale with wit, depth, and a fearless critique of class, caste, and the
patriarchy—exposing the hypocrisies of social institutions in a manner reminiscent of Samuel
Butler’s dismantling of Victorian society. In this production, verses from the original Punjabi text
are sung as lyrical commentary, while the actors’ English dialogue—drawn from Sarbpreet
Singh’s poetic translation of the Sufi masterwork—evokes the spirit and cadence of Waris
Shah’s epic. Enhanced by original music and dances inspired by both folk and classical Indian
traditions, the work revitalizes this monumental Sufi love story for a new generation.
Shiv’s Project
Dir - Daniel Swern
Playwright - Daniel Swern
Synopsis:
Shiv’s Project is a verbatim play explores generational perspectives and challenges to mental health in New Jersey's South Asian community based on oral histories with family, friends, and mentors of Shiv Kulkarni, a 14-year old who died from suicide in 2021.