Stories in Mother Tongues by Deepak Kumar

Patti, the 79 year old matriarch of the family, spends her days waiting to die. The only bright spot left in her life is a one-woman show she puts on every night to an increasingly aging American theatre audience. But when her granddaughter, son, and daughter-in-law are corrupted by demons and threaten to destroy her play, Patti has to team up with an unlikely ally: her aimless and existentially tortured...
Patti, the 79 year old matriarch of the family, spends her days waiting to die. The only bright spot left in her life is a one-woman show she puts on every night to an increasingly aging American theatre audience. But when her granddaughter, son, and daughter-in-law are corrupted by demons and threaten to destroy her play, Patti has to team up with an unlikely ally: her aimless and existentially tortured American grandson, Giri. Will Giri and Patti defeat the demons that have taken over the family and keep the play running? Or will the show just… end? A hypertheatrical action adventure about tradition, expectation, and learning to speak in your mother tongue.
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Stories in Mother Tongues

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Character Information

  • Patti
    79
    Appa’s mother and omniscient storyteller of the universe. Speaks Tamil. Cannot speak English and only roughly understands it, until she can.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      50s, 60s, 70s+
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Giri
    27
    Aimless, which means he’s an aspiring DJ. Cannot speak Tamil and only roughly understands it.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Gita
    31
    Sick and tired of this shit. Also a rakshasi.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Amma
    50s
    Immigrant mother who needs a vacation. Also a rakshasi.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Appa
    50s
    Immigrant father who can’t say how he feels. Also a raskshasa.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s, 60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Gender: 
      Male