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“Madhuri’s fierce, witty, observant, intelligent and original voice is loud and clear…she has exceptional talent for creating universally relatable stories with authenticity and compassion.” —Chay Yew, former artistic director of Victory Gardens Theater
This two-play volume offers but a taste of what Madhuri Shekar has to offer as a playwright on the rise.
In Dhaba on Devon Avenue, we're thrust into the dynamic of a family-run Indian restaurant. A staple of its Chicago neighborhood since the ’80s, Dhaba Canteen's offerings are as authentic Sindhi as it gets. But with the bank bearing down on head chef Neeraj, and his health in decline, his daughter Rita faces the ultimate obstacle: convincing her immigrant father that change (in the kitchen and elsewhere) can be a good thing.
In Antigone, Presented by the Girls of St. Catherine's, the titular school has decided to revive its drama club by putting up Sophocles's classic play. But as weeks of rehearsal go by, the drama seeps off the stage and into the lives of students and teachers alike. Do the girls stand up for what's right, or look the other way so the show goes off without a hitch?
Praise for Dhaba on Devon Avenue
“Dhaba has real richness in its details: I’m a sucker for local plays and this one comes with a palpable authenticity.”
—Chicago Tribune
“A passionate and eloquent drama of a family polarized by a gamut of emotions: pride, determination, challenge, and heritage…It’s a true picture of many cultural conversations.”
—BroadwayWorld
“An epic of global history and politics that packs an emotional punch…an undeniably entertaining rollercoaster where history collides with the present
—Chicago Sun-Times
Praise for Antigone, Presented by the Girls of St. Catherine's
"In Sophocles’ play, the title character is swept up in a political maelstrom when she does something out of love. A situation at the school proves not dissimilar…a #MeToo alarm blast of a play."
—Los Angeles Times
"An unexpected delight…It is a drama, but it also delivers frequent laughs. It does what art is meant to do—it makes you feel and it makes you think."
—League of Cincinnati Theatres
"A play about friendship, first loves, and breaking the silence…knowledge doesn’t always equate to power in a battle against authority."
—Stage Raw
"What Shekar has concocted is a cocktail mixing the subjects of Catholic church sex abuse scandals, the #MeToo movement, generational differences among romantic partners, friendship, betrayal, secrecy, teenage coming-of-age Sturm und Drang, sexual splendor, self-expression through the arts, and more, all rather cleverly set against the backdrop of an Antigone agonistes."
—People's World
Madhuri Shekar is a playwright and screenwriter. She wrote the Amazon/Blumhouse feature Evil Eye, based on her Audible original audio drama. Her TV credits include Three Body Problem on Netflix, and the HBO fantasy epic The Nevers. Her play A Nice Indian Boy has been adapted into a film starring Jonathan Groff and Karan Soni, now streaming on Hulu. She is EP and showrunner of Unaccustomed Earth, an upcoming project for Netflix. Her plays have been produced across the United States and internationally. They include Dhaba on Devon Avenue, House of Joy, Queen, In Love and Warcraft,A Nice Indian Boy, Antigone: Presented by the Girls of St. Catherine’s, and The Incredible Book Eating Boy.