He “became a picture.” That’s what we say when somebody dies. Chhobi hoye giyechhe.
Say it again?
Chhobi hoye giyechhe.
Choton relishes being the translator, toggling nimbly between Bangla and English, Grindr and academese. But when he returns to his grandfather’s house in Kolkata with his boyfriend Raheem, an unexpected discovery leaves Choton at the limits of language.
Public Obscenities is a bilingual play from writer-director Shayok Misha Chowdhury about the things we see, the things we miss, and the things that turn us on.
Public Obscenities transferred to Woolly Mammoth’s 265 seat theater from November 14-December 23, 2023 and then subsequently to Theater for a New Audience’s 290 seat theater from January 17-February 25, 2024. The January 17-21 performances were part of the 2024 Under the Radar Festival.
Scenic Design: dots Costume Design: Enver Chakartash Lighting Design: Barbara Samuels Sound Design: Tei Blow Video/Projection Design: Johnny Moreno Dramaturg: Sarah Lunnie Cultural Dramaturg: Sukanya Chakrabarti Casting: Stephanie Yankwitt, CSA & TBD Casting Co. Additional Casting: Kim Montelibano Heil Intimacy Director: Teniece Divya Johnson Props Designer: Patricia Marjorie Stage Manager: Alyssa K. Howard Assistant Stage Manager: Kalen Sierra Hughes Assistant Director: Nicholas Polonio Assistant Set Designer: Yi-Hsuan (Ant) Ma, Colleen Murray Associate Costume Designer: Nicole Slaven Assistant Lighting Designer: Alex Vásquez Dheming Associate Sound Designer: Ryan Gamblin Props Associate: Juliana Suaide Production Assistants: Genevieve Juras, Jack Ganguly Stage Manager (Cover): Kevin Jinghong Zhu Assistant Stage Manager (Cover): Alex Luong
