Shakuntala, freely adapted from Kalidasa

A modern adaptation of Kalidasa’s Sanskrit drama, infused with contemporary Bollywood music.

A modern adaptation of Kalidasa’s Sanskrit drama, infused with contemporary Bollywood music.

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Shakuntala, freely adapted from Kalidasa

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  • Blyss Cleveland: Shakuntala, freely adapted from Kalidasa

    This is a stunning and heartwarming play that engages with Eastern and Western art forms and beautifully draws on multiple storytelling genres to create a play that aptly feels "like a party." My favorite aspect of the play is the relationship between Madhavya and the King. The script gives actors so much to play with and presents so many technical opportunities to innovate.

    This is a stunning and heartwarming play that engages with Eastern and Western art forms and beautifully draws on multiple storytelling genres to create a play that aptly feels "like a party." My favorite aspect of the play is the relationship between Madhavya and the King. The script gives actors so much to play with and presents so many technical opportunities to innovate.

  • Leah Roth Barsanti: Shakuntala, freely adapted from Kalidasa

    This play is so many things that it's hard to nail down an accurate summary: it's a play and a musical and a Bollywood feature and a Desi music video and a wedding and a Shakespearean comedy all rolled into one. Reading brought me a lot of happiness, and I know if I saw it in a theatre I would leave with that same sense of joy.

    This play is so many things that it's hard to nail down an accurate summary: it's a play and a musical and a Bollywood feature and a Desi music video and a wedding and a Shakespearean comedy all rolled into one. Reading brought me a lot of happiness, and I know if I saw it in a theatre I would leave with that same sense of joy.

  • Zach Barr: Shakuntala, freely adapted from Kalidasa

    The crown jewel of Jadhwani's modern adaptations of Indian folklore: vibrant, heartfelt, hilarious, well-paced, and utterly human. Enormous opportunities for a committed cast to make this story their own, and for each production to interpret the play's magical elements anew. I'm struck by the use of musical numbers – it's as though the play is the blueprint for a Bollywood jukebox musical, in a way that honors the emotion at the center of both those films and this fable.

    The crown jewel of Jadhwani's modern adaptations of Indian folklore: vibrant, heartfelt, hilarious, well-paced, and utterly human. Enormous opportunities for a committed cast to make this story their own, and for each production to interpret the play's magical elements anew. I'm struck by the use of musical numbers – it's as though the play is the blueprint for a Bollywood jukebox musical, in a way that honors the emotion at the center of both those films and this fable.

View all 4 recommendations
this play is written to be performed by MENASA (Middle Eastern, North African, South Asian) actors.

Development History

  • Type Workshop, Organization American Theatre Company, Year 2016
  • Type Commission, Organization The Hypocrites, Year 2015