A QISSAA with Ishika

Ishika Muchhal

Join performer and storyteller Ishika Muchhal as she interviews and tells the Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists, the trailblazers who have paved their own path in the visual and performing arts in America. A new guest, a new episode every week, Sundays at 12 p.m. PST.

  1. A QISSAA with Ishika: Rehana Lew Mirza

    03/05/2025

    A QISSAA with Ishika: Rehana Lew Mirza

    Welcome to the 36th episode of A QISSAA with Ishika! My guest today is playwright and filmmaker Rehana Lew Mirza! With a BFA from NYU TISCH and an MFA from Columbia University, Rehana’s prolific career has seen her plays produced at venues across the US. Some play highlights include: Hatefuck (First Floor, Chicago; WP/Colt Coeur, NY); A People’s Guide to History in the Time of Here and Now (Primary Stages Toulmin commission); Soldier X (Ma-Yi); Tomorrow, Inshallah (Living Room Theater; Storyworks/HuffPost commission); Neighborhood Watch (NNPN/InterAct commission, upcoming production: Jackalope 2025) and Barriers (Desipina, Asian American Theater Company.) She founded the award-winning South Asian theater and film company, Desipina & Co, alongside her sister Rohi Mirza Pandya in 2001, where together they produced the popular Seven.11 series. She shares a Kleban Award and a 2016-2022 Mellon Foundation National Playwright residency administered in partnership with Howlround at Ma-Yi with Mike Lew. Together they’ve co-written The Colonialism Project (LJP commission) and the musical Bhangra Nation (originally Bhangin’ It) with composer/lyricist Sam Willmott. Rehana’s short film MODERN DAY ARRANGED MARRIAGE won the NBC ShortCuts audience award, and screened at “Just for Laughs” in Montreal before being acquired by LOGO/MTV. Her feature film, HIDING DIVYA, had a limited North American release and toured to colleges through a grant from the Asian Women's Giving Circle.Her additional accolades include being a WP Resident Playwright, NYFA Fellow, HBO Access Fellow, Lilly Award recipient, CCTP Residenct, Colt Coeur member, and a TCG Fellowship.

    48 min
  2. A QISSAA with Ishika: Zi Alikhan

    10/11/2024

    A QISSAA with Ishika: Zi Alikhan

    Welcome to the 32nd episode of A QISSAA with Ishika: Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Stories! My guest today is theatermaker and director Zi Alikhan. Raised in California and based in New York, Zi is an alum of NYU TISCH and programs including TCG Rising Leaders of Color, Drama League Directors Project, Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab, Drama League Artist Residency Program, Manhattan Theatre Club Jonathan Alper Directing Fellowship, Williamstown Directing Corps, and Drama League Rough Draft. Zi’s award-winning directing work has been seen across the country. His direction of On That Day in Amsterdam at Primary Stages earned Drama Desk Award and Lucille Lortel Award nominations. I saw Zi’s vision in action in Sanctuary City at Pasadena Playhouse and was floored by the poetic world he built! He has also directed the US regional premiere of The Band’s Visit and a drag-centered reimagining of the Wizard of Oz at geva Theater Center. He was the resident director for the national tour of Hamilton, and he assistant directed the first national tour of The Band’s Visit, as well as Six Degrees of Separation, The Rose Tattoo, and It Shoulda Been You! on Broadway. Zi’s directing work has also been performed at Juilliard, Yale, Pace, Writers Theatre/TheatreSquared, Paper Mill Playhouse, Classic Stage Company, Portland Center Stage, Olney Theatre Center, Playmakers Repertory Company, Prospect Theatre Company, Access, The Pearl, and Manhattan Theater Club. He will soon be directing world premieres of Keiko Green's You are Cordially Invited to the End of the World! at South Coast Rep, Deepak Kumar's House of India at The Old Globe, John Anthony Loffredo's Frou Frou at Boston Court Pasadena, and Julia Riew's ENDLESS in Korea. www.zialikhan.com www.ishikamuchhal.com/a-qissaa-with-ishika

    56 min

About

Join performer and storyteller Ishika Muchhal as she interviews and tells the Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists, the trailblazers who have paved their own path in the visual and performing arts in America. A new guest, a new episode every week, Sundays at 12 p.m. PST.