Nautanki’s Upcoming Program for 2024 Z-AXIS @ParraPHIVE, Parramatta | Saturday 20th July The “Z-Axis” project will be a comprehensive initiative that goes beyond traditional theatre performance, aiming to build awareness, foster ethical practices, and facilitate intergenerational dialogue among young creatives. The project will be an interlinked series of interactive sessions with the South-Asian youths from Blacktown, Parramatta, and Inner City guiding the young creatives toward leadership positions within the arts sector and harnessing projects that will involve local talents and local audience engagement. TEN YEARS TO HOMEKXT-BROADWAY | 25th September to 5th October “Ten Years to Home”, a play written by Sonal Moore and directed by Neel Banerjee, tells the story of why Sonal’s parents first came to Australia and what made them stay. Looked at through the eyes of three generations of women, the play reveals the challenges faced by an Indian family living a long way from home and in a predominantly white Australia. It also shows the friendship that was extended to them until ten years later, Australia had also become home. The play centres on Sonal’s parents’ story while the stories of Sonal and her two daughters show the crossover of the Indian and Australian cultures. Sonal’s father is the common thread throughout the play. The play spans 10 years and gives a snapshot of the change in both India and Australia in the 1960s, which ultimately paved the way for the greater Asian migration in the early 1970s.“Ten Years to Home” is the remounting of a play that had a successful short season at Parramatta. Now the play will travel to central Sydney as part of KXT-Nautanki’s cross-city sister project collaboration. ANNUAL SOUTH ASIAN THEATRE MELARIVERSIDE THEATRE, PARRAMATTA | 13th to 15th November A celebration of theatre aesthetics in South Asian cross-cultural style, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries.Nautanki Theatre Company endeavours to provide a common performing platform, encouraging cross-cultural exchange and community engagement. Theatre Mela is a homegrown concept of reimagining grassroots South Asian Theatre groups and indie artists in Australia. This flagship project was conceived, established, and developed in Parramatta by Nautanki in partnership with Riverside Theatre in 2016. This year Mela reaches 9th year and will have 2 plays presented back-to-back making it a double bill over 3 nights. BUNTY BARBER DANCE THEATRERIVERSIDE THEATRE, PARRAMATTA | 18th to 20th December A dance theatre production “Bunty Barber” will explore and address social issues within the context of South-Asian barber shops, particularly in the Western suburbs. The project aims to challenge misogyny, and stereotypes and promote a more inclusive and equitable society. We’ll have a work-in-progress showcasing this project.

MEDIA RELEASE – NAUTANKI THEATRE 29TH January 2024 Nautanki Theatre proudly announces that Neel Banerjee, our Founder & Creative Director has been honoured with Citizen of the Year award by the City of Parramatta on the 25th of January 2024. The City of Parramatta Citizen of the Year Awards recognise and honour the outstanding achievement and excellence in the local community and highlight the importance of service to the Australian nation. These awards are part of Council’s Australia Day program and provide a great opportunity to celebrate local heroes for the contribution they deliver to our community. The Citizen of the Year-highly commended, award recognises Neel Banerjee in the general category in the age group of 31-64. Neel’s contribution has been primarily through arts and cultural practices in Parramatta and the Western Sydney for the last 12 years. Neel’s continuous effort, imagination and volunteering has united South Asian creatives in NSW. City of Parramatta is the 6th largest business district in Australia and Neel’s recognition has been through 20 nominees for the year 2024.A visionary theatre company dedicated to creative development of culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) theatre with an aim to contribute to the National Theatre of Australia, Nautanki Theatre Company has a rich journey starting in Parramatta in 2012. In the last 12 years, Nautanki company has played a critical role in the cultural landscape of Western Sydney providing a new audience experience by creating poignant, culturally and socially relatable artwork of the highest quality. Partnering with Riverside Theatre in Parramatta Nautanki has created a platform and vanguard the voice of South Asian creatives, stories that validate their migrant experiences and creating an appetite for an emerging local audience from Western Sydney. In the creative pursuit Nautanki creates employment for artists, creating bold stories on the Australian stage by carrying out Independent Theatre Movement in Australia involving the community.Neel’s work involves:            (a) spreading theatre among the South Asian immigrant community             (b) bringing untold stories to the Australian stage using South Asian Theatre aesthetics, and             (c) using theatre as a device to propagate awareness on various issues affecting communities.“Recognising a person of colour for his contribution to arts is quite motivational, especially I’m a first-generation settler and this recognition comes on the 20th year of calling Australia home. This honour will set precedence and a trend that art and an artist can be a social changemaker that civil society often forgets. I’m sure this will be an encouragement for the South Asian and CaLD young people who are considering arts as their career” says Neel Banerjee.Neel couldn’t be present to receive the award as he was overseas. However, on the 9th February during the Nautanki Theatre’s season launch we’ll celebrate Neel’s recognition so please join this free event by RSVP: https://nautanki.org.au/season-launch-2024/

Season Launch 2024 We’re a little late this year but there won’t be any shortage of fun and friendly banter during the season launch. Please join us for the 2024 season launch. Arts and Cultural Exchange 8 Victoria Rd Parramatta  Friday, 9th February 20245.30pm onwards. Booking Bubbles & Nibbles will be served. 6.15 pm – 6.45 pm – Season launch by the Creative Director   7.00 pm – 8.00 pm – Chat with Imad Khan   “Tamanna“ (desire) will be an open discussion on how it feels to be a gay Muslim. Imad Khan will share his experiences growing up in a traditional Muslim family and a conservative society in Pakistan.  We’ll have a Q&A and engagement session after the discussion. Additional details: Nautanki are investing the next 2 years to collaborate with various artists and work alongside community members from the Pakistani diaspora in Australia as part of capacity building and understanding creative opportunities within the community. “Tamanna” project will benefit Nautanki’s volunteer understanding of sensitive discussion around LGBTQIA+, helping the organisation to develop resources, understanding intergenerational conflict around region, culture and sexuality resulting in increased community resilience. Project alignment: Project “Tamanna” directly aims to involve a queer person sharing experience of growing up as a gay in a conservative community. Nautanki is taking a bold step in plugging this discussion and a Q&A session beyond the Queer community. With the increasing number of South Asian queer members in Australia, South Asian diaspora needs to have a reflection and understanding to such personal stories. This project will encourage more individuals to share their stories beyond LGBTQIA+ community.