IndiaPost.com - English play to raise funds

NEW YORK: Krea, a California-based theater group, will be staging an English play 'Seeds and Flowers' at Jackson Theater Ohlone College at Fremont, California on April 28. The play is being staged to raise funds for Cancer Institute Foundation which is a US based organization dedicated to raising funds and support the Cancer Institute in Chennai.

Cancer Institute is a leading hospital and research institute delivering free cancer care for thousands of poor patients over the past 50 years. Cancer Institute is the only free standing, non-profit, institution that provides excellent cancer care regardless of socio-economic conditions. The Institute wages a multi-pronged attack on the deadly disease through diagnosis, care, prevention, research and education and is lead by a dedicated physician Dr V Shantha who has devoted her life for the Institute. 'Seeds and Flowers' is a powerful story about immigrants who have made it big and those who have not. It's a story about how women find identity for themselves in a new world and pursue their passion. Set in California's Bay Area, the theme revolves around powerful characters, says Dheepa Ramanujam, founder, actor and director of Krea.

Dheepa started her career as TV host in India and has acted in many soaps and stage plays in India. She had the privilege of acting in a serial Premi directed by the renowned film director K Balachander and is one of the six TV hosts who got selected to appear in Super star Rajinikanth's movie - Arunachalam. Dheepa has also directed a few documentaries and short films. After moving to US she took courses on direction, acting and make up.

She founded Krea, with an intention of producing quality plays with a mix of Indian tradition and western techniques. Based in Fremont, California, Dheepa has directed five full length plays and many small skits for adults as well as children. Says Dheepa: "We at Krea always wanted to do an English play and specifically on immigrants' life in the Valley. The play will focus on the dilemma of to go or not to go back to India for good. We have two families in the play depicting these challenges."