2023: elyria by deepa purohit

Elyria | Atlantic Theater Company, New York
Playwright: Deepa Purohit | Director: Awoye Timpo | Choreography: Parijat Desai
East Africa Gujaratis encounter each other in a small Ohio town and various family and relationship plots ensue, framed by movement and dance sequences.

Parijat choreographed garba, raas, and contemporary movement sequences for this production. She also produced the Gujarati music played—recruiting musicians, directing them, and recording tracks.

PRESS
New York Theater Guide, Amelia Merrill
"The play opens with choreography from Parijat Desai as two estranged friends, the no-nonsense Vasanta and the restrained Dhatta, collide at a Hindu festival (Navratri) ... Haunted by ethereal younger versions of themselves, Vasanta and Dhatta must navigate their families and their new reality ... Elyria’s script has some predictable beats, but they are interrupted and invigorated by bursts of dance theatre that speak louder."

New York Times, Laura Collins-Hughes
"Memory sequences are also woven through … and there’s some lovely Indian dance. (Choreography is by Parijat Desai.)"
Uh, lady there’s plenty of contemporary movement! But we’ll take it… :-)