Public Obscenities Extends NYC Encore Run

Theatre for a New Audience's encore run of Shayok Misha Chowdhury's Public Obscenities will stick around a little longer. Performances are now scheduled to continue for an extra week, through February 25, at Polonsky Shakespeare Center.

Written and directed by Chowdhury, the work is performed in Bangla and English. The play had its world premiere Off-Broadway at Soho Rep in spring 2023, followed by a run at Washington, D.C.'s Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company.

Returning to the cast from the world premiere are Tashnuva Anan as Shou, Debashis Roy Chowdhury as Pishe, Abrar Haque as Choton, Golam Sarwar Harun as Jitesh, Gargi Mukherjee as Pishimoni, NaFis as Sebanti, and Jakeem Dante Powell as Raheem. Rounding out the company are understudies Shreyo Banerjee, Rajib Bhattacharya, Jonathan Nathaniel Dingle-El, Komolika, and Mita Paul. Casting is by Stephanie Yankwitt.

The play follows Ph.D. student Choton, who visits family in Kolkata on a research trip with his Black American boyfriend Raheem. Choton loves translating between Bangla and English, interviewing queer locals, and showing Raheem his world, but Raheem begins to notice things Choton can't.

READ: Shayok Misha Chowdhury Took His Life in India and Turned It Into Public Obscenities

The production features scenic design by Peiyi Wong, costume design by Enver Chakartash, lighting design by Barbara Samuels, video/projection design by Johnny Moreno, sound design by Tei Blow, and prop design by Patricia Marjorie. Tenley Pitonzo is production stage manager, and Tommy Kurzman is the hair and makeup stylist. Teniece Divya Johnson is the original intimacy director, with Shaquan M. Pearson as intimacy consultant. Sarah Lunnie serves as dramaturg, with Sukanya Chakrabarti as cultural dramaturg. The work is presented by Theatre for a New Audience, and produced by Soho Rep and NAATCO National Partnership Project.