Behind the Scenes: Akaina Ghosh’s CHARACTER ASSASSINATION
The second annual PlayGround Free-Play Festival, a fringe-style free-admission three-week showcase of new works by Bay Area artists, continues this week with the premiere of Akaina Ghosh’s CHARACTER ASSASSINATION, August 18-20 at 7pm PDT at Potrero Stage and simulcast. We recently spoke with Akaina to get a behind-the-scenes look at their upcoming show.
About the Play
The novelist’s characters have always been larger than life (she’s a damn good writer after all – one book published and one on the way). But when her latest protagonist commits a murder, reality and fiction blur together. With a dead man in her living room, the writer must partner with her clever, facetious protagonist to deal with the repercussions of her creativity. Character Assassination was commissioned by PlayGround and originally developed as part of the PlayGround Festival of New Works this past May.
About the Playwright
AKAINA GHOSH, they/them, is a non-binary theater artist. They are thrilled to be sharing CHARACTER ASSASINATION (PlayGround’s 2022 June Anne Baker Prize Commissioned Play) as part of PlayGround’s Free-Play Festival. They’ve debuted original works at PianoFight, Z-Below, TheatreFIRST, and The Flight Deck. They are a two-time recipient of 3GirlsTheatre’s Innovator’s Series Grant, and they were a semi-finalist in the National Alliance for Musical Theater’s 15-Minute Musical Challenge with selections from their original musical Lilith. They are passionate about reconstructing historically significant narratives through a gender expansive lens and generating new works that center queer voices and perspectives. They are currently pursuing their MFA in Graduate Acting at NYU Tisch. Follow Akaina’s work at akainaghosh.com.
What should audiences expect from Character Assassination?
AKAINA: Fast, funny storytelling with a lot of heart.
Why this play and why now?
AG: We need stories that make us laugh and make us cry, and this story will certainly do both! It explores humor and grief and the nature of storytelling itself.
Who is your favorite playwright and why?
AG: I love so many playwrights it’s hard to choose, but I performed in Miranda Rose Hall’s Plot Points in Our Sexual Development in 2021 and it really felt like a game changer for me. Queer stories that express humor and hurt in genuine ways make my heart so full.
What is a hidden talent or something that audiences might be surprised to learn about you?
AG: I enjoy writing plays, but I also enjoy writing songs! You can find my original music on Spotify, Apple Music, and other major streaming platforms.
For more information on the PlayGround Free-Play Festival or to reserve your free tickets (donations gratefully accepted and directly support the artists), click here.