DRAUPADI

Silsila Sounds is presenting a multidisciplinary performance of DRAUPADI on May 16, 2026. The play reimagines the mythological figure through a modern, queer and Black trans lens, offering a “sacred reclamation” of the character as a symbol of power, defiance and resilience.

Set in Ahmedabad, 1906, DRAUPADI reimagines the mythic figure as a Black and Hijra Gujarati woman working in the brutal textile looms. Amidst the clanging of the machines and a 35% wage strike, a scandal unfolds: one that challenges the boundaries of class, race, and gender identity. Inspired by the radical history of Indian labor movements and the ‘Strikers in Saris,’ DRAUPADI centers the cultural worker as the engine of both industry and revolution.

In this retelling, Draupadi is not a victim of her society, but a mirror to it. She stands in radical, inseparable union with the Divine, posing one final question to the world: If the Divine accepts her as she is, why can’t we?

This presentation of DRAUPADI will feature Misty Jones in the titular role of Draupadi, with Mahima Sagal as the Mother-In-Law, J. Singh as Raja, Lakshay Gosain as Reader. The show features a Bharatanatyam opening by Isis Poulouse, an evocative original score by the end, and a staged reading of DRAPAUDI from playwright and director Khayaalat.

Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026
Showtimes:
3:00pm to 4:30pm – Welcoming note and Performance Only
7:00pm to 10:00pm – Performance followed by Conversation with the Leading Lady and Guest Speakers
Location:
Nu Box Theater / New Box Theater
754 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10019, USA

Silsila is an LLC cooperative and production house dedicated to building sustainable infrastructure for queer and trans artists. Fueled by mutual aid and collaborative storytelling, they bridge the gap between art and activism to provide direct support for their community—including the silsila mutual aid fund for dolls of color and profit shares from our production sales. They empower artists to dismantle systems of patriarchy and imperialism, building the radical solidarity needed to re-imagine and change our world.

Accessibility: Please note that the venue is a three flight walk-up. Masks are not required but encouraged.
Triggers: transphobia, anti-blackness, mild displays of violence against women

Full Cast & Crew
Misty Jones – Draupadi
Mahima Sagal – Mother-in-Law
J. Singh – Raja
Lakshay Gosain – Reader
Isis Poulouse – Performer
The End – Composer
Khayaalat – Om, Playwright and Director
Iman Rose Louis-Jeune – Production Manager and Lead Technician
Falaknaaz Patni – Producer and Stylist

Ayman Syed – Makeup Artist & Guest Speaker
Simi Kadirgamar – Guest Speaker
Kiran - Creative Support