5 Shows You Can't Miss at the FIRST South Asian International Performing Arts Festival

The first ever South Asian International Performing Arts Festival, presented by M.A.D Playhouse Theater and Hypokrit Theatre Company, in collaboration with Access Theater, will feature theatre, music, dance, spoken word and comedy from prominent and emerging artists of South Asian origin from August 3 – August 9. The festival celebrates the diverse ways in which South Asians artists are part of the cultural fabric of the United States and the larger world.

The festival features over 200 performers and 50 shows, but we’ve managed to narrow down the 5 Shows you Can’t Miss this upcoming weekend. Catch them before the festival ends on Sunday August 9^th!

Want to check out ALL of the shows and more? We recommend the weekend pass which allows you to see EVERYTHING.

Passes can be purchased here.

For more information, including festival calendar, visit: www.saipaf.org

Check out the Festival Promo:

LIVE MUSIC PARTY

A 2.5 hour party that features live Jazz, Fusion, Pop, Rock and Bhangra. Featured bands: Moon Owl Productions, Downtown Raagas and Rhythm Tolee.

August 7 – Access Theater Gallery at 6:30 pm. Tickets available here.

DANCE NIGHT

A Showcase of New York’s South Asian dancers and dance companies. Featured artists include: Swarali Karulkar (Dance India Dance finalist), Gayatri Patel (Let’s Dance), Sonalee Vyas Dance Company, Rohan Bhargava, Nikita Chaudhry, Manhattan Andaaz, Ajna Dance, Shivali Bhammer, and Bellydance America Dream Team.

See the promo featuring Junoon Performing Arts:

Dance Night is at Urban Stages on Friday 8/7 and Saturday 8/8 at 8 pm. Tickets available here.

STAND UP MASHUP

Enjoy a night-cap and an hour of non-stop laughter with the best South Asian comedians in town. Featuring Aparna Nancherla, Alington Mitra, Mahesh Kotagi, Subhah Agarwal, Raj Belani, Gerrard Lobo and Susan Peret.

Stand Up Mashup is at the Access Theater Gallery on 8/7 and 8/8 at 9:30 pm. Tickets available here.

KARNATAKA VAIBHAVA

Nupuradhwani Dance presents Karnataka Vaibhava – a unique production, that will take the audience through the cultural heritage of Karnataka, a southern state in the Indian sub continent.

Karnataka Vaibhava plays at Urban Stages on 8/8 at 12:30 pm. Tickets available here.

MATHUR DEVO BHAVA (THAT OF DIVINE MOTHERS) + BOLLYWOOD FUNK

An afternoon of classical and Bollywood dance by two renowned companies. Parashaha brings Mathur Devo Bhava about the bond between mother and child and Bollywood Funk brings together some of the most popular and entertaining songs in the Bollywood industry.