Ep. 36: MERENDIANDO with Bilal Baig
September 16, 2020
“I wonder what would happen in our world if there was real space and time to process these things that shake up our lives forever?” – Bilal Baig
Bilal Baig is a queer trans-feminine Muslim playwright and workshop facilitator. Bilal’s plays include Kitne Saare Laloo Yahan Pey Hain, Kainchee Lagaa, and Acha Bacha. Bilal is a facilitator with Story Planet, Rivers of Hope Collective and the Paprika Festival.
Their play Acha Bacha has just been published by Playwright’s Canada Press!
In this interview we talk about the power of speaking Urdu on stage without compromise, religion, queerness, and why Bilal is passionate about youth accessing arts education.
Show notes:
- The premiere production of Acha Bacha presented at Theatre Passe Muraille
- Bilal’s interview with OMNI TV
- Paprika Festival, a performing arts festival celebrating the work of young and emerging artists
- Rivers of Hope Project, which offers workshops to high schools and youth challenging racism and Islamophobia through the art of Muslim and racilazed artists
- Story Planet, a non-profit organization dedicated to amplifying voices and improving literacy skills through non-traditional creative learning experiences with children and youth in under-resourced schools and communities.
- Bilal’s merienda for the soul: WAP by Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion.
All Merendiando episodes are in Spanglish, English, or Spanish. New episodes of Radio Aluna Theatre are released on Wednesdays. Follow and subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and wherever else you get your podcasts.
Radio Aluna Teatro is produced by Aluna Theatre with support from the Toronto Arts Council, The Ontario Arts Council, the Canada Arts Council, the Department of Canadian Heritage, and the Metcalf Foundation.
Aluna Theatre is Beatriz Pizano & Trevor Schwellnus, with Sue Balint; Radio Aluna Theatre is produced by Monica Garrido and Camila Diaz-Varela.
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