Audition Call

Actors, click here. Dancers, click here.

Sultana Daku

our annual musical, a Naatak Original
playwright and director: Sujit Saraf
producer and dance director: Soumya Agastya
music director: Nachiketa Yakkundi
(in Hindi and English, with supertitles in English)
NAATAK opens its landmark 30th season with a timeless tale written specially for this occasion – an adaptation of the novel The Confession of Sultana Daku (Penguin, 2009), recounting the daring exploits of Sultana Daku, his wild raids, imaginative escapes and rise to notoriety, and his dramatic capture by Freddy Young, the celebrated superintendent of police who, in 1924, finally put an end to Sultana’s reign of terror around Bareilly and Moradabad.

 

As the first in a long line of notorious dakus, Sultana Daku with his horse-riding gang has appeared in countless films, in Hollywood – The Long Duel (1967) starring Yul Brynner – and Bollywood – Sultana Daku (1973) starring Dara Singh – with his best-known avatar being Gabbar Singh in Sholay (1975).

 

With a new script that has never been performed before, the play will feature live music and dance, wit and humor, and energetic ‘svang’ performances that evoke 1920s India.

 

 

Show dates
Sep 5 – 28, 2025, Cubberley Theater, Palo Alto, CA

 

Audition for Dancers

Saturday, June 14th, 2025
Naatak House, 3311 Keller St, Santa Clara CA 95054
Park on the street, not in the parking lot.

 

We are looking for 12 dancers, female or male, with grace, rhythm and energy, and the enthusiasm to rehearse hard for a slick, professional production. If you have classical training, please mention it, but most dances will be semi-classical or Bollywood-like. One or two may be kathak.
Some dancers will both act and dance in the play, for which you some fluency in Hindi is required. If you can speak Hindi, please indicate that on the RSVP form.

 

Rehearsals
July 9 – August 9: Tuesdays 7 pm, Thursdays 7 pm
August 10 – September 4: Saturdays 8 AM, Sundays 8 AM

 

Audition Details
1. RSVP by completing this rsvp form.
2. Come punctually at 10 AM. We will lead you through a dance (we will provide the music).
3. Based on your performance, we will select 12 dancers from the group. The audition will finish by 12 noon.
4. Questions? Email soumya@naatak.org.

 

Audition for Actors

Saturday, June 28th, 2025
Naatak House, 3311 Keller St, Santa Clara CA 95054
Park on the street, not in the parking lot.

 

Roles Available
South-Asians:
6 boys, or girls who will play boys, ages 10-12 (dakus): fluency in Hindi is highly desirable
8 men, ages 20-35 (dakus)
12 men, ages 36-70 (police officers, shopkeepers, political activists, svang players)
2 women, 35-60 (officials, political activists)

 

Caucasians:
5 men, 35-60 (police officers, commissioners, Salvation Army missionaries, King George V)
1 woman, 35-60 (Salvation Army missionary, Queen Mary)

 

Non-speaking roles:
Many roles for women and men.

 

Audition Details
1. RSVP by completing this rsvp form. Two days before the audition, you will receive a time slot between 9 AM and 12 noon.
2. South-Asians: Come prepared with a 1-minute solo performance in Hindi.
2. Caucasians: Come prepared with a 1-minute solo performance in English.
3. Demonstrate clarity in diction, voice projection, and comfort with stage movement.
4. If shortlisted, you will be given lines from the play and called back at 1 pm. The audition will finish by 3 pm.
5. Questions? Email sujit@naatak.org.

 

Rehearsals
July 9 – September 4
Wednesdays 7:30 PM, Saturdays 8 AM, Sundays 8 AM

 

You will not be needed in all slots.
For larger roles, expect to come twice a week in July and thrice a week in August.
For smaller roles, expect to come once a week in July and twice a week in August.
If you are unavailable during Labor Day weekend (Sep 1), you should not audition.