HOLLOW/WAVE
(an autobiographical one-woman show)
Written and Performed by: Anu Bhatt
Directed by: Barbara Zahora
Trigger Warning: sexual trauma and depression.
“I want to validate the experiences of people in the audience who look like me. I hope to foster communication and spread empathy through my work.”
Production History (partial list):
- 2017-2018: Developed under guidance of Arlene Malinowski and Silk Road Rising in Chicago.
- May 2018: First workshop production at Silk Road Rising.
- August 2018 - Consortium of Asian American Theaters & Artists (CAATA), Chicago, IL
- January 2019 - Cultural Arts and Diversity Resource Center (CADrc), U.C. Santa Cruz, CA
- May 2019 - Benefit performance in partnership with Statera Mentorship Foundation, Chicago, IL
- August 2019 - National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP), Kansas City, MO
Audience feedback:
“Beautifully done, Maybe the most revealing performance I’ve ever seen. Engaging and lyrical to watch…”
“The issues of exploring sexual trauma, particularly for South Asian Americans, was priceless. These issues are never discussed in our communities.“
“It needs to be out there, shared and discussed. It prompts dialogue, challenges viewpoints and helps to create change.“
“It has been one of the only experiences during all the “Me Too” conversations…that helped me pull together my own “me too” experiences.“
“Making me as a male, recognize even more deeply how our actions (comments, gazes, looks, etc.) toward females…can potentially leave a jarring effect.”
“The incorporation of Bharatanatyam dance in the telling of the story was incredibly moving.”
“Anu’s story is one that transcends one specific culture or background. Her story is, in many ways, the story of womanhood.”
NEWS
I took Hollow/Wave off-Broadway to the United Solo Festival October 29, 2019!
Photos by Eric Backus. Left to right: Eric Backus (sound designer), myself, and Taylor Barfield (stage manager)
All About Solo reviews Hollow/Wave: “A hollow is not a hole, but a place of opportunity. That is what writer‑performer Anu Bhatt has come to believe.”
Photo courtesy of NAAAP KC.
