![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwTZOQAdvkpC0ERj_ZPj0JcY5Ng5J4xzJ4slXIdVt1r8XnpGvyQODwwmpeNFFxiL4GhT4xjDHbzI65RXlKyD-oTQXbOXnKyl4AYX2lsgGWGpCOlSCVwW1WdFDezJPQTy_z5kIrdPShyphenhyphenA/s320/Rickshaw+alpana+DSC_7689+clean+-+1.jpg) |
Emily Alvarado as Naima, painting a traditional
alpana. Photo credit: Joshua Posamentier
|
Bay Area author Mitali Perkins’ award-winning children’s book,
Rickshaw Girl, tells the heartwarming
story of Naima, an artistic ten-year-old in an impoverished Bangladeshi village who yearns to help her
hard-working father, a rickshaw driver, earn more money for the family.
Perkins grew up speaking Bangla and hearing her parents’
stories about their life in the part of the world we know today as
Bangladesh. Later, she spent three years
in Bangladesh, meeting the people, learning what they hold dear, and observing the
impact of changes, like the advent of microcredit, on local customs and
culture.
“When I read Mitali’s beautiful book, I knew immediately
that I wanted to bring Naima’s daring adventure to the stage for children and
their families to see,” said BACT Executive Director Nina Meehan. “Naima’s
story opens a window on a different culture for our young audiences, which is
so important for their experience, yet it has universal appeal in its depiction
of courage, duty and caring.”
BACT commissioned critically acclaimed playwright Aditi Kapil to adapt Perkins’ novel, and
the world premiere of Rickshaw Girl was born! Of Indian and Bulgarian descent, Kapil was
raised in Sweden and resides in Minneapolis, MN. In addition to her work for BACT, she is currently working on
commissions with Yale Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, South Coast
Repertory Theatre, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Directed by Vidhu
Singh, with live music by vocalist Sonali Bhattacharya, percussionist
Amit Sharma, and others, Rickshaw Girl whirls with color and song, as it welcomes families
into the world of Bangladesh.
Perkins has worked with Singh
and Kapil to help them develop the show, contributing to the authenticity of
the production by contacting a friend, an educator in Bangladesh, to learn what
songs daughters of rickshaw pullers sing these days and what games they play. These
songs—everything from a lullaby to a patriotic song—are sung in Bangla. Perkins
also brought her mother to rehearsal to teach the actors how to paint alpanas, the
traditional designs that figure prominently in the story!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgPCXk2VnfIaTswekQ1XAwWyxXnqenJGnPViVfDAQGYPhLOgJQ-IOd7uh6xxm3BCTuo5zvcuxO1fzbVAIEQGO906gRMaggD5CKP5YzlgG_fAvhW7dRJyIHa8uOGZmoxDJPJ8i97_aFTQ/s400/IMG_0504+Mitali%2527s+mother+with+cast-3.JPG) |
Mitali
Perkins’ mother, Madhusree
Bose with cast members, after teaching them how to paint
alpanas
|
Describing the rehearsal process, Perkins said, “It’s
magical! When I watch these fabulous actors and see the story in the flesh on
the stage, I find myself being curious for Naima and wondering what’s going to
happen to her, and I have to remind myself that I know what happens to her—I
wrote the book!”
Director Singh of San Francisco has devoted her career to
nurturing South Asian theatre and bringing work from around the globe to the
stage. Born and raised in India, she
holds a master’s degree in Dramatic
Art from the University of California at Santa Barbara and a doctorate in
Asian Theatre from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, specializing in
contemporary Indian theater.
“This play is so up my alley,” Singh said.”I’m so grateful
it came to me. When I heard about it, I got a copy of the book—it’s one of the
best children’s books I’ve ever read. It
is a sweet, empowering story that is important for girls all over the world. The
story is a window to another culture but it’s also a mirror—Naima learns that,
with a little ingenuity and a lot of courage and grit, she can recover from a
terrible mistake and make things right for herself and her family. Kids can see
that they have so much in common with her.”
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPE9JvBOMDT75ldo_PwgnK2_588I2ya1mOwpW0QvX0Wm8au64SLc44EVJIJ25ad6VCCGlpffXmEENOBPM-e1_AHHnaXVvpU_luInozSR9KJG41ulTuynA1sgfxNFpyA1jCMh0dZO4ecs/s320/Workshop+for+Rickshaw+Girl-2.jpg) |
Artists at Rickshaw Girl workshop, l. to r., actors
Radhika
Rao and Salim Razawi, Director Vidhu Singh, Author Mitali Perkins, Playwright
Aditi Kapil
|
The play, Singh explained, is “an ensemble piece” that
blends theatre, dance and Bangla songs. Five actors play the primary characters as
well as secondary roles. The ensemble also functions as a chorus, becoming
school children learning the Bangla alphabet, villagers celebrating
International Mother Language Day, vendors selling wares, farmers toiling in
the rice fields, town dwellers—a vibrant microcosm of life in Bangladesh.
“This is very important work,” Singh said, explaining that
Bangladeshi culture has rarely been reflected in American theatre or even in
South Asian theatre. “What makes the
story remarkably powerful is its universality and its ability to inspire
children as well as adults across cultures. I’m from India, not from
Bangladesh, and I’m very particular about reflecting Bangladeshi culture and
creating the world of Bangladesh. As a director of Indian descent, I take that
responsibility very seriously.”
Rickshaw Girl is
recommended for audiences aged 6 and up.
NOTE:
Families can meet Mitali Perkins in person at Rickshaw Girl
performances on Saturday, April 16, in San Francisco, and on Sunday, May 22, in
Berkeley!
Purchase your tickets at: www.bactheatre.org