Photo Credit: David Keon
SONG OF JOY
Written and Performed by Carol Mazhuvancheril
Directed by Nick J Browne
January 6 - January 29, 2023
Song of Joy is an autobiographical play that explores how perpetually immigrating as a child shapes an individual’s family and definition of “home.” Throughout the play, Carol embodies colorful characters from his family to share his experience navigating a life that is constantly in motion. From learning Carnatic music in a boarding school in India, to auditioning to be a ballerina in Texas, Carol seeks acceptance from those he loves while coming into his newfound “American” identity.
Laugh-out-loud funny, painfully honest, and sometimes heartbreaking, Song of Joy is a love letter to all immigrant parents who make immeasurable sacrifices in order to better the lives of their children. And how the children of those immigrants often have to balance what they owe their parents, with what they owe to themselves.
Song of Joy will feature scenic and lighting design by Matthew Deinhart, costume design by Xindi Xu, sound design by Sara Vandenheuvel, and choreography by Alisha Desai. Amanda Kettell is the stage manager.
COVID PROTOCOL:
All attendees and artists will be required to display proof of at least 2 doses of a Covid vaccination before being admitted to the space.
Patrons will also be required to wear masks while indoors at all times.
CREATIVE TEAM
Carol Mazhuvancheril: Writer / Producer / Actor
Nick J. Browne: Director / Co-Producer
Amanda Kettell: Stage Manager
Xindi Xu: Costume Designer
Sara Vandenheuvel: Sound Designer
Alisha Desai: Choreographer
Matthew Deinhart: Set / Lighting Designer
MEET THE TEAM
CAROL MAZHUVANCHERIL
PLAYWRIGHT AND PERFORMER
Carol Mazhuvancheril (he/him) is a NYC based actor and theater-maker, working on stage and film. On stage Carol was last seen Off-Broadway in JC Lee’s To My Girls, directed by Stephen Brackett, and in the multiple Tony-winning Broadway production of Matthew Lopez’s The Inheritance, directed by Stephen Daldry. Some of his other theater credits include Kate Hamil’s Pride and Prejudice, directed by Estefenía Fadul for Virginia Theater Festival; and Marc Wellman’s The Lesser Magoo, directed by Meghan Finn for Brooklyn College. Some of Carol's on-screen credits include The Time Traveler’s Wife (HBO), FBI: Most Wanted (CBS), Russian Doll (Netflix), The Last O.G. (TBS), and the lead in Paul Lewis Anderson’s upcoming short film Last Laugh. Carol holds an MFA in acting from Brooklyn college, was a part of LAByrinth Theater Company’s 2019 Intensive Ensemble, and a member of both AEA and SAG. www.carolmaz.com @carolmazzz
NICK J BROWNE
DIRECTOR
Nick Browne (he/they) is a freelance director, producer, and educator based out of New York City. Previous credits include Simon Stephens’ Punk Rock (Chinatown Soup), a site-specific production of Ike Holter’s HIT THE WALL (the National Historic Monument; The Stonewall Inn), Chair by Joey Merlo (The 2022 Weasel Festival, The Tank), Jordan Tannahill’s Concord Floral (Department of Theater, Brooklyn College), Platforms (LAByrinth Theater Co. Barn Series), HIT THE WALL (NYU, A Streak of Violet). They have directed internationally in the PEI Island Fringe Festival, studied with the 2022 La MaMa International Directors Symposium in Umbria Italy, were a part of LAByrinth Theater Company’s 2019 Intensive Ensemble, and the 2015 SITI Summer Intensive in Saratoga Springs. Nick holds a BFA from Point Park University and an MFA from Brooklyn College. www.nickjbrowne.com
MATTHEW DEINHART
SCENIC AND LIGHTING DESIGNER
Matthew Deinhart is a New York based multidisciplinary designer. Recent design credits include the scenic design for URL vs IRL (Andy’s Summer Playhouse) and Sweat (Brooklyn College), the lighting design for La Folie (Premiere - Brooklyn College), Blackbird (New Ohio), The Sandwich Program (Premiere - The Public), and Tongue Depressor (Premiere -The Public), and the projection design for El Amore Brujo (La Mama) and ANIMUS ANIMA//ANIMA ANIMUS (Premiere - The Public).
ALISHA DESAI
CHOREOGRAPHER
Alisha Desai is a professional dancer, choreographer, actor, and visual artist. She is a Sarah Lawrence graduate, and first discovered her passion for Indian dance while training in India at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. Since then, she has gained expertise in many styles of Indian dance working with top companies in NYC; AATMA Performing Arts, Ajna Dance Company, and Surati for Performing Arts to name a few. Alisha has a background in theater, film, and vocal performance. Notable projects include Hypokrit Theater’s Chokher Bali, Elodie Lauten’s The Death of Don Juan, and a Broadway Workshop for Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding. Alisha is the owner of DESAI DESIGNS (www.desai.design) a culturally inspired fashion line featuring her original artwork.
AMANDA KETTELL
STAGE MANAGER
Amanda Kettell is in her last semester at Brooklyn College studying Theatre with an emphasis in Stage Management. She has been Production Stage Manager for numerous productions with the Brooklyn College Theatre Department, most recently Small Mouth Sounds, as well as with the Brooklyn College Student Musical Theatre Collective. She is very grateful for the opportunity to be creating theatre in person again with such a great team.
XINDI XU
COSTUME DESIGNER
Xindi Xu is a Costume and Fashion designer, graduating from MFA Design and Technical Production at Brooklyn College in 2021. Originally from Beijing, China, Xindi began her work of painting and fashion illustration in high school and received her BFA in Fashion Design with a minor in Art History from Parsons School of Design in 2017. Xindi believes thorough research of the story and characters is the key to making good design and has continued showing great passion across different genres of performing arts.
SARA VANDENHEUVEL
SOUND DESIGNER
Sara Vandenheuvel usually considers herself a costume designer, but has recently begun to experiment with other elements of design. Song of Joy is Sara's first sound design and she is incredibly grateful for the trust of this team as she learned and explored a new medium. No matter her role, Sara believes theater is most interesting when it has something to say and when it fully embraces the suspension of disbelief that only theater can get away with. You can see more of Sara's work at saravandenheuvel.com