Co-Presented by EnActe Arts and SJSU King Library, in Collaboration with Bhasha Centre.
The South Asian New Works Festival brings together emerging playwrights, performers, and storytellers to celebrate the richness of South Asian voices in the heart of the Bay Area.
This festival showcases original new works that explore identity, migration, tradition, and belonging. Through theatre, film, and visual arts, the festival creates space for artists to develop bold new stories while inviting audiences into a shared creative journey.
More than a performance series, it’s an invitation to build community—one story, one voice, and one stage at a time.
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Event Schedule
10:00 AM – 10:45 AM | Guest Check-In
Location: 2nd Floor Foyer
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM | Welcome & Opening Remarks
Location: Rm. 225
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Staged Reading #1: “Lost Waters”
Location: Rm. 225
A compelling new theatrical script exploring memory, identity, and environmental themes through a live staged reading.
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Film Screening #1: “Seat at the Table”
Location: Rm. 213
Directed by Sarita Khurana and edited by Sunita Prasad, this documentary work investigates representation, community leadership, and women claiming space.
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM | Lunch Break
Location: DHC
1:30 PM – 2:15 PM | Artist Talks
Location: DHC
Featured visual artists Ria Sharma and Priyanka Rana discuss their creative processes, materials, and cultural inspirations.
2:30 PM – 4:30 PM | Staged Reading #2: “Phantasmagoria”
Location: Rm. 225
A bold, imaginative new play reading that weaves surreal storytelling with deep personal and socio-cultural reflection.
2:30 PM – 4:30 PM | Film Screening #2: “Burqa Boxers”
Location: Rm. 213
Directed by Alka Raghuram, this powerful documentary follows young Muslim women in Kolkata breaking barriers through boxing.
4:30 PM – 4:45 PM | Closing Remarks
Location: Rm. 225
