At the Crossroads of Cultures

Our goal is to create a platform for cultural exchange and artistic collaboration, inspiring a new generation of audiences with the stories that speak to our common humanity. Join us in our mission to promote cross-cultural understanding and appreciation through the art of theatre.

With our current project, White Plume Productions will be showcasing the rich tapestry of Indian theatre, dance and music while fostering connections with local artists. A distinguished creative team is joining forces to bring a drama production of Girish Karnad's play Naga-Mandala ('Play with a Cobra') to the Sarasota, FL area. Experience the fusion of Indian theatre with local artistry, celebrating cultural diversity and artistic excellence.

Expected production opening is in spring, 2026.

Meet the creative team

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Creative Team

The 'Naga Project'

Creative Team

Dr. Salil Singh, Director
Salil Singh has directed over fifty theater productions in his career as a director, actor, playwright, designer and teacher. His work spans genres from opera to musicals; classical works including Shakespeare and Molière; new works, puppet theatre and adaptations of folktales. He holds an MFA in Directing from the Univ. of Iowa and a doctorate in Theater from the Univ. of Texas at Austin. Mr. Singh is a resident of Sarasota where he is the director of the Suzuki Institute School of Music. Having previously directed a production of ‘Naga-Mandala,’ he is very familiar with the play and eagerly looks forward to bringing this exquisite celebration of storytelling to audiences in Sarasota.

Prabhat Kumar, Composer
Prabhat Ji has devoted his life to music. Musician, composer, performer and teacher: he has nurtured the talents of hundreds of students of all ages around the world, across the US and in the Sarasota/Tampa Bay Area. His compositional works have been performed in South Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Australia and the US. He is proficient in Hindustani (Indian) music and is skilled on several instruments such as the sitar, tabla, harmonium, flute, keyboard, piano and vocal. He will be composing music for the production as well as leading the ensemble in the performance.

Pratap Talwar, Scenic Designer
Mr. Talwar is a Boston-based architect and urban planner who has worked around the planet, designing and executing architectural and planning projects across the US, Asia, Australia and Europe. A graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he has been a visiting design critic at MIT, Harvard and Princeton, among many other institutions, while working as a Managing Principal of Thompson Design Group in Boston, MA. Mr. Talwar’s work has been exhibited at the Venice Biennale and the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum. He is conceptualizing the scenic design for Naga-Mandala as a contemporary take on an ancient fable.

Shaila Sateesh, Choreographer
Shaila Ji has been creating and nurturing interest in traditional dance forms and providing cultural education to students of all ages for over two decades. In addition to teaching Bharatnatyam, she has choreographed and produced folk dances, musical plays and dance productions to promote cultural awareness in the Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice communities. Her students have also performed in Tampa / St. Petersburg. She served as a judge in several dance competitions and was also selected as a Master Artist by Florida Folklife, a component of The Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources. Her students have been awarded by the Florida Folklife Apprenticeship program.