South Asians love spicy food and spicy drama. So what could be more appropriate than combining the two? “When we have big desi events, the food is always a concern,” says Aqsa Faroouqi, who organized the first desi dinner theater in Decatur, GA recently.
“People get those little boxed lunches and then they don’t have a good experience. They feel the show was great, but they weren’t happy with the food. Nor did I know how it would work if we had snacks outside.” So Faroouqi decided to host a dinner theater in Zyka Restaurant for about 250 people. The guests saw one play and then picked up their dinner, including Chicken 65 and kulfi, at the buffet table and sat down to watch the second play. “The toughest part was improvising with the stage which was a small wedding reception kind of stage,” says Faroouqi. Faroouqi, who is a psychotherapist, wrote and directed the two plays about domestic violence: Badalte Rishte and Meri Zindagi, Mera Faisla., in which seasoned actors from the community starred.
She would now like to take the plays and the concept of Desi Dinner Theater to other states. Does she think it might catch on? She says, “A lot of people told us that it was a really innovative idea. They got to eat while they watched and so were entertained and enjoyed themselves.” Yes, the way to a desi’s heart is through an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner and the masala of a dramatic play. |
Desi Dinner Theater In Atlanta
