DRAUPADI: A Silsila Sounds Production
Silsila Sounds Productions presents DRAUPADI on May 16, 2026 in an evening of multidisciplinary reclamation, reimagining the story of Draupadi from a modern, queer, and Black trans perspective. Moving through the portals of Bharatanatyam and experimental theater, we trace the "unraveling" of the saree, not as an act of humiliation, but as a journey toward timelessness.
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?
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 "Double Special" scandal unfolds—challenging 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.
The evening begins with a powerful Bharatnatyam dance piece by Isis Poulouse, embodying the traditional Draupadi narrative to set the stage for our modern reclamation. This is followed by a staged reading of the original script, featuring a "Ghost Parent" dual-casting structure and an evocative original score.
Original Score: Composed by the end.
Production Team: Falaknaaz Patni and Iman Rose Louis-Jeune
Creative Support: Priya and Kiran
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showtimes
Showtime 1: The Matinee (3:00 PM – 4:30 PM)
Focused on the Performance.
Opening: Bharatnatyam Dance by Isis Poulouse.
Main Feature: Staged Reading of DRAUPADI.
Perfect for those who want to experience the raw power of the script and movement.
Showtime 2: The Full Experience (7:00 PM – 10:00 PM)
Performance + Dialogue.
The Collective Conversation: An intimate post-show dialogue with the cast and collaborators reflecting on art, survival, and navigating creative industries as trans women and marginalized artists. Together, we will explore personal experiences, identity, labor, visibility, community, and what it means to build collective artistic spaces that center care, resistance, and lived experience.
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accessibility
Please note that the venue is 3 flights walk-up.
Masks are not required but are encouraged to keep our community members safe
triggers
possible triggers include: transphobia, anti-blackness, mild displays of violence against women
DRAUPADI is a production of the silsila sounds collective silsilasounds.org; IG @silsilasounds. We pay our artists, and production team well. Our production team is a collective of organizers, artists, students, and visionaries. Our goal is to continue highlighting the work of queer femmes, dolls, and other underrepresented artists in the diaspora.
We believe the ticket price reflects this work but please reach out if it is a concern. Especially if you are a doll - tix on us :)
If you are interested in our profit sharing incentive, or performing in future shows, or joining or supporting the collective, please fill out this form.