Landmark Theaters Sunset
This event is included in the Industry Days Pass and Industry All-Access Pass. Click to buy.
This panel will explore the journey of bringing Life of Pi to the stage, from the novel’s global resonance to the groundbreaking puppetry, staging, and storytelling that have redefined what’s possible in live theater. Join special guests for a conversation about representation, adaptation and the cultural significance of seeing a South Asian-led narrative take center stage on Broadway and beyond.
Panelists include:
Betsy Rosen (Assistant Puppetry and MovementDirector/Puppet Captain/ Richard Parker/Puppeteer,Ensemble)is a Helen Hayes Award-winning artist based in NYC. Broadway:Life of Pi(OBC). Selected credits:Sydney Opera House, Lincoln Center, American Repertory Theater, Cincinnati Playhouse, Woolly Mammoth.Grateful for all who hold me up, the LOP family, and FSE. @thebetsyrosen
Savidu Geevaratne (Ensemble, u/s Pi, u/s Ravi) is making his national tour debut with Life of Pi. A Sri Lankan-American actor, singer, and musician based in New York City, he trained at NYU Tisch. Some of his Off-Broadway credits include Your Own Personal Exegesis and Monsoon Wedding.
Sharayu Mahale (Rani/u/s Pi) is making her Broadway tour debut with Life of Pi. She holds a BS in Business from NYU and studied acting at Yale, Beverly Hills Playhouse, and Stella Adler. Her credits include Monsoon Wedding, Cobra Kai, and Footnotes. You can follow her at @sharayu.mahale
Sorab Wadia (Father) is an actor who hails from Bombay, India. He has toured with Aladdin, Oklahoma!, and Kite Runner. His international credits include Jihad! The Musical (West End), Merchant of Venice (Venice), and Bend It Like Beckham (Toronto), and has been part of the Off-Broadway productions Babette’s Feast and The Tempest. Sorab’s television credits include Blacklist: Redemption, Madame Secretary, 30 Rock. You can follow him at@SorabWadia
Moderator: Pia Shah
Pia Shah is a writer and actor living in Los Angeles. Her work on Pasadena Playhouse’s The Father earned an Ovation Best Ensemble Award and a Best Season Nomination. Her film and television credits include Room 104, Grey’s Anatomy, and Grass. She wrote, produced, and starred in the short film The Shower. Pia originated the role of Leela, a young woman on the spectrum, in Orange in the world premiere at South Coast Repertory. She has workshopped over 100 new plays at labs such as the Ojai Playwrights Conference and the Geffen and Pacific Playwrights Festival. She earned an MFA in Theater at USC and attended the William Esper Studio in New York City. She began her media career funding independent filmmakers at the Center for Asian American Media, where she oversaw a grants program with CPB/PBS funds championing untold stories that went on to premiere at POV, Independent Lens, and Sundance Film Festival.