ABCD

by Lily Abha Cratsley

While preparing dinner, three generations of Indian women clash and comfort one another. Willow, a young academic, is eager to learn all that her Nani can teach her. Aditi, a divorced mom, finds herself stuck between an overbearing mother and a critical daughter. Nani, the family's matriarch, must face Jersey City once again after having moved back to India. What will happen when loss, love, and longing are...

While preparing dinner, three generations of Indian women clash and comfort one another. Willow, a young academic, is eager to learn all that her Nani can teach her. Aditi, a divorced mom, finds herself stuck between an overbearing mother and a critical daughter. Nani, the family's matriarch, must face Jersey City once again after having moved back to India. What will happen when loss, love, and longing are shared across the dinner table?

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ABCD

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  • Yamini Jain: ABCD by Lily Abha Cratsley
    “

    This is such a sweet and emotional story. The conversations between the characters are like the ones I have always had with my own family. Thank you for writing this. I hope to watch it or perform it one day.

    This is such a sweet and emotional story. The conversations between the characters are like the ones I have always had with my own family. Thank you for writing this. I hope to watch it or perform it one day.

    ”
*All cast members must be connected to South Asia and its diaspora.

WILLOW, 22 years old, in College, born and raised in New Jersey, Nani calls her “Billi”

ADITI, 53 years old, Willow and Tara’s mother, born in India, moved to New Jersey when she was 3, American accent

NANI, 74 years old, Aditi’s mother, born and raised in Lucknow, Hindu, speaks Hindi with a North Indian accent, immigrated to New Jersey with her husband where she learned English in 1972, then moved back to India in 2002. The actor should break up Nani’s English speech to represent a loss of fluency that feels authentic to them. “Beti” may also be replaced by other terms of affection, but never “Beta.”

TARA, 25 years old, started dancing Bharanatyam in 2017 while in College, Nani calls her “Sunny.” Tara does not appear in the action of the play, but if the creative team finds dance motifs useful in transitions, they might cast a dancer to magically represent her.

Development History

  • Reading, Occidental College, 2022
  • Reading, Garry Marshall Theatre, 2022

Production History

  • Professional, Greenway Court Theatre, 2023