Fresh Lime Soda Productions

04/20/2023

In partnership with the 31st Ave Open Street Astoria and NYC DOT, we are excited to present Pistachio & the Worms, a children’s play in English and Spanish about composting with tons of songs and fun!

You are invited to attend a live (!), outdoor (!), free (!) performance of a beloved play: PISTACHIO & THE WORMS by Emilie Gay, directed by Annika Praeger, and featuring the acting talents of our very own Sabina Sethi Unni and Anita Ganesan, along with Anabel Lugones, Luis Feliciano, and Danielle Brissett.

This performance will take place in person this Saturday, April 22nd at 31st Avenue Open Street (31st Avenue between 33rd and 35th Street, outside of Diamond Dogs) in Astoria, Queens at 12 pm, 1 pm, and 2 pm EST!

You can register for the event here: https://forms.gle/r2EuoY9fbfT3JM527

CAST
PISTACHIO - Danielle Brissett
GRANNY - Luis Feliciano
GABBY - Anabel Lugones
GARBAGE - Sabina Sethi Unni
RUBBLE - Anita Ganesan

PRODUCTION TEAM
Playwright - Emmy Gay
Director - Annika Praeger
Graphic Design - Sabina Sethi Unni

07/17/2022

Hello sweet sweet juicy limes!

We’re excited to announce a play reading involving all Fresh Lime ensemble members: Eight One Eight Two, written by Rishi Chowdhary, directed by Kanika Asavari Vaish, and featuring Sanskar Agarwal, Sabina Sethi Unni, and Siraj Huda. This play will finally be ✨IN PERSON ✨in NYC, at the one and only Secret Theatre in Queens as part of their “Act One: One Act Festival” performing every Sunday between July 10th and August 6th, 2022.

Eight One Eight Two, based on a true story, follows a coup d’etat attempt by Kenya Air Force soldiers in 1982 that triggers an Indian family in Mombasa to debate a major decision that could impact their lives forever. You may recognize this play synopsis because this is actually the second time we’re performing this work - earlier this summer we were part of The Ink Project and Raleigh Little Theater’s 2022 New Voices Culminating Event - a virtual showcase featuring the 2022 class of New Voices fellows, which included Fresh Lime Soda’s very own Rishi Chowdhary.

Since this is in person (and not a festival we’ve put together), please RSVP at the following link, which we’ll monitor closely and send follow ups about how to get tickets: https://forms.gle/MXqYvLaN1Sj13EnC8. Shoot us an email also if you’re planning on coming, so we can treat you to chai before/after!

CAST

SANTOSH - Sanskar Agarwal

KAJAL - Sabina Sethi Unni

SANTOSH’S FATHER - Siraj Huda

PRODUCTION TEAM

Playwright - Rishi Chowdhary

Director - Kanika Asavari Vaish

Producers - Secret Theater and Fresh Lime Soda Productions

Sound Design - Kanika Asavari Vaish

Poster Design - Sabina Sethi Unni

We look forward to seeing you soon! Feel free to email us at [email protected] with any questions in the meantime.

07/04/2022

Take a break from your real life to watch our next staged reading: The Wrong Bashir, written by Zahida Rahemtulla and directed by Khaula Malik. In The Wrong Bashir, Bashir Ladha—wayward philosophy major leaning towards nihilism—has accidentally been selected to assume an important religious position in his congregation, and his parents have dutifully accepted on his behalf. Family conflict ensues over Bashir’s reaction to his appointment. As the doorbell rings and several unexpected visitors turn up at the Ladha door, the family is taken on a comedic intergenerational ride that forces them to grapple with long-avoided questions of identity and family.

This reading will take place on Zoom on Thursday, July 7, at 8 pm EST / 5 pm PST. After the reading, we will host a brief feedback-focused discussion about the play, where the cast, creatives, and audience are all welcome to speak about their understanding of and interactions with the work.

“Doors” will open up around 5 minutes before the performance begins. The reading and discussion will last about 90 minutes and will be recorded for archiving purposes.

You can register for the event here: https://forms.gle/unx2sdC6BWzhtFvx7. We will send the Zoom information to registrants closer to the date.

CAST

BASHIR - Arif Silverman

NAFISA - Zahra Budhwani

NAJMA - Rasti A. Chaudry

SULTAN - Shahjehan Khan

NANI (FARIDA) - Meera Narasimhan

NANA (DAWOOD) - Shyam Avvari

GULZAR - Vijaya Kumari

AL-NASHIR - Darpan Joshi

MANSOUR - Siraj Huda

PRODUCTION TEAM

Playwright - Zahida Rahemtulla

Director - Khaula Malik

Dramaturg - Alisha Chunara

Producers - Kanika Vaish & Sabina Sethi Unni

Design - Sabina Sethi Unni

05/07/2022

Did you forget about us??? Welllllll, we're back! And excited to announce Fresh Lime's first devised piece: untitled s*x show!!

untitled s*x show, conceived by Zahra Budhwani, is an anthology of scenes exploring the relationship between pleasure and shame in our community. This devised show was entirely created and written by the ensemble, pulling from sources such as cultural myths, media, and our own experiences.

This performance will take place on Zoom on Sunday, May 8th, at 1 pm EST / 9 am PST / 10 pm PKT / 10:30 PM IST. After the reading, we will host a feedback-focused discussion about the play, where the cast, creatives, and audience are all welcome to speak about their understanding of and interactions with the work.

Register here: https://forms.gle/M79hD8RG1ygNGobK7. Registrants will receive an email with the zoom link.

CAST
Isa Hussain, Saahil Mehta, Anjali S, Uttkantha Sindhwani, Dharani Persaud

PRODUCTION TEAM
Director - Zahra Budhwani
Dramaturg - Uma Paranjpe
Producers - Kanika Asavari Vaish & Sabina Sethi Unni
Design - Sabina Sethi Unni
💚🌈

09/14/2021

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are excited to announce the workshop of a new work: FREE FALLING, written by Padya Paramita and directed by Priyanka Shetty!

This workshop will take place on Saturday, September 18th, at 12 pm EDT / 9 am PDT / 10 pm BST. After the reading, we will host a feedback-focused discussion about the play, where the cast, creatives, and audience are all welcome to speak about their understanding of and interactions with the work. “Doors” will open up around 5 minutes before the performance begins. The reading and discussion will last about one hour. The workshop will be recorded for archiving purposes.

You can register for the event here: https://forms.gle/TXGfYKgNPGa8JK497. We will send the Zoom information to registrants closer to the date.

SYNOPSIS
While running from her traumatic past, 25-year-old Raisa encounters a roommate and a seemingly dangerous sport that is about to change the way she views life, friendship, and the joy of eating together.

CAST
RAISA - Sidikha Ashraf
TRISHA - Maryam Mustafa
DEAN ROBERTS/PROFESSOR/COACH MARLOWE/ANNOUNCER - Shravan Amin
MOTHER QUEEN/PHILLIP/CLASSMATES/SAM - Urja Jariwala
COACH RAMSAY/MAN/CLASSMATE - Havish Ravipati
RUBY/CLASSMATE/KARTHIK - Priyanka Bose

PRODUCTION TEAM
Playwright - Padya Paramita
Director - Priyanka Shetty
Dramaturg and Stage Manager - Anjali Ramakrishnan
Sound and Videography - Sabina Sethi Unni
Producers - Kanika Vaish & Sabina Sethi Unni

07/26/2021

Dear sweet & salty Fresh Lime fam,

We hope you've had a safe and restful summer so far!

We are back and excited as ever to announce a new staged reading: CHAI CHAI, a coming-of-age story told by three fly aunties about what happens after a girl meets a giant who runs a chai stall on the outskirts of her seemingly normal town.

The performance will take place this Sunday, August 1st, at 2 pm EDT / 11 am PDT. You can register for the event here: bit.ly/chaiflsp. We will send the Zoom information to registrants closer to the date.

CAST
AUNTY 1 - Nikita Lamba
AUNTY 2 - Isa Hussain
AUNTY 3 - Saahil Mehta
BABLOO - Sabina Sethi Unni
MISMATCHMAKER - Rasti Syeda
SAIYA - Sanskar Agarwal
THE GIANT - Shahjehan Khan

PRODUCTION TEAM
Playwright - Anooj Bhandari
Director - Kanika Asavari Vaish
Stage Manager - Padya Paramita
Producers - Sabina Sethi Unni & Kanika Asavari Vaish

We look forward to seeing you soon! Feel free to email us at [email protected] with any questions in the meantime.

💚☕,
Fresh Lime Soda Productions

04/27/2021

Okay, we gotta get better at posting on this website. We never posted about Ad Nauseam, written by Raefah Wahid and directed by Sabina Sethi Unni. Not to fear, here's a link to watch the full performance (with the Zoom chat in the frame!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXrKashwaMY&t=2520s.

Here's a description of the performance too, because why not!

We are thrilled to announce the premiere of a WILD new play, Ad Nauseam, written by Raefah Wahid, directed by Sabina Sethi Unni, stage managed by Padya Paramita, assisted by Urja Jariwala, and sound designed by Lucky Bommireddy!

Ad Nauseam is a play about a play. The cast of passive aggressive actors all attempt to stitch together a show that is the pinnacle of perfection. With this singular goal in mind, the play begins. And begins. And begins. And never ends, because to end would be to give up the pursuit of perfection. Also, Real Housewives are somehow involved.

Creatives
PLAYWRIGHT: Raefah Wahid
DIRECTOR: Sabina Sethi Unni
STAGE MANAGER: Padya Paramita
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER: Urja Jariwala
SOUND DESIGNER and COMPOSER: Lucky Bommireddy

Cast
BAT: Fazeelat Aslam
DIRECTOR: Lucky Bommireddy
FOX: Anooj Bhandari
GULL: Sanskar Agarwal
LIGHTING DESIGNER: Siddarth Anand
MAKEUP ARTIST: Nikita Lamba
MEADOW MAN: Anita Ganesan
MOLE: Laya Bommireddy
STAGEHAND: Shravan Amin
WRITER: Kanika Asavari Vaish

With chat!Ad Nauseam is a play about a play. The cast of passive aggressive actors all attempt to stitch together a show that is the pinnacle of perfection. ...

04/27/2021

Fresh lime friends! We are thrilled to announce a new workshop, and the next reading in our Theater as Inheritance series: No Longer Human! Written by Nilofer Rolston and directed by Muneera Batool, it is an attempt at the experimental and absurd. Following three vignettes, across different times in Pakistan, from a hospital in 1937 to two women in Lahore trying to survive after a deadly accident, No Longer Human explores what being human means to each of us.

After the reading, we will host a discussion about the play, where the cast, creatives, and audience are all welcome to speak about their understanding of and interactions with the work, and suggestions for developing the script.

This workshop will take place on Saturday, May 1st, at 11:30 am EDT / 8:30 am PDT / 8:30 pm PKT / 9:00 pm IST. “Doors” will open up around 5 minutes before the performance begins. The reading and discussion will last around 60 minutes. The workshop will be recorded for archiving purposes.

Register at this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3QNGYUfWjoHEJhr2hl2kE2lcEnfyUoUIY_I6k-4QjY__mpA/viewform! We will send out the Zoom information to registrants closer to the date.

Cast
Woman - Padya Paramita
Doctor - Kunal Palawat
Yasmin - Maryam Mustafa
Alia - Sabina Sethi Unni
Man - Muneera Batool
Bartender - Bhavana Vadrevu

Creatives
Playwright - Nilofer Rolston
Director - Muneera Batool Hashmi
Sound Designer - Kanika Vaish

We look forward to seeing you soon! Feel free to email us at [email protected] with any questions in the meantime.

03/16/2021

We’re thrilled to introduce our new series of workshops that will take place over the next few weeks: Theater as Inheritance. These plays all look to theater as a space to critique, preserve, and process all the stories, joy, and pain we inherit from our families and ancestors. These are all works in progress that we’ll be workshopping for the first time, so we eagerly solicit your feedback!

Our first event is this Saturday, March 20th, at 3 pm EDT / 12 pm PDT and is our first ever TV pilot reading! In DADDY, written by Shawn Jain, Aakash, a gay man in his early 30s, has moved back in with his father, Atul. Aakash soon finds out that his father is also q***r, also broke, and now needs his son’s help with the family’s failing check cashing store.

Cast
AAKASH: Hershel Tamboli
ATUL: Samrat Chakrabarti
GAYATRI: Nikita Tewani
RAFAEL: Rafael Marinho
NICK/SARFARAZ: Anooj Bhandari
NIKITA/JYOTI: Urja Jariwala

Creatives
WRITER: Shawn K. Jain
DIRECTOR: Kanika Asavari Vaish
PRODUCERS: Sabina Sethi Unni & Kanika Asavari Vaish

Register for the event here: https://forms.gle/YKcxcQ1Z8zV9JKMW9.

11/09/2020

We are excited to announce a new staged reading and discussion, in collaboration with Wellesley Association for South Asian Cultures (WASAC), The Divine Feminine, written by Kanika Asavari Vaish, directed by Sabina Sethi Unni, and featuring a cast of Wellesley students and alums!

Synopsis: Devi and Vishnu are Hindu chaplains in training. But how can they advise others when they're busy dealing with identity crises of their own? The Divine Feminine explores faith as a means of comfort and guidance, but also questions whether or not religious leaders are doing the right thing in attempting to interpret and convey the words of Gods.

This performance will take place on Sunday, November 15th at 11 am ET / 9 pm PKT/ 9:30 pm IST. “Doors” will open up around 5 minutes before the performance. The performance will be recorded for archiving purposes. The reading and discussion will last around 60 minutes.

After the staged reading, producers Vidhi and Eshika will facilitate a discussion about the play, where the playwright, director, and cast, and audience are all welcome to speak about their understanding of and interactions with the work.

You can register for the event here: bit.ly/flspXwasac. We will send out the Zoom information to registrants closer to the date.

Creatives:
PLAYWRIGHT: Kanika Asavari Vaish
DIRECTOR: Sabina Sethi Unni
PRODUCERS: Eshika Kaul & Vidhi Shah
SOUND DESIGNER and COMPOSER: Lucky Bommireddy
SOUND ASSISTANT: Laya Bommireddy

Cast:
ARJUN: Maryam Ahmad
TULSI: Kavya Parameswar
CLAIRE/RESHMA/WENDY: Kuku Devarajan
VISHNU: Bhavana Vadrevu
KARAN: Maryam Mustafa
SWAMI: Anjali Sundaram
DEVI: Lucky Bommireddy

We look forward to seeing you soon! Please email us at [email protected] with any questions in the meantime.