Vir Das Leads Indian Comedy to Lincoln Center Residency

New Delhi, Sept 4 (PTI) Globally acclaimed comedian and actor Vir Das will bring his latest show, "Hey Stranger," to New York's iconic Lincoln Center Theater later this year. This marks a notable residency for an Indian artist at such a distinguished venue.

Das, who clinched the 2023 International Emmy Award for Best Comedy Series with his Netflix special "Vir Das: Landing," is set to perform from October 29 to November 9 at the esteemed venue. In the world of theater and live performances, a residency implies an artist staging multiple shows at a single location over a given period, as opposed to touring.

The Lincoln Center has a rich history of hosting some of the world's most celebrated artists, including Indian luminaries such as sitar maestro Ravi Shankar, tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain, shehnai legend Bismillah Khan, Carnatic vocalist M S Subbulakshmi, and Pandit Ananda Gopal Bhose. With "Hey Stranger," Das is poised to introduce Indian stand-up comedy to this historic stage.

Collaborating with Tony Award-nominated director Moritz von Stuelpnagel and Seaview—the company renowned for Broadway and Off-Broadway productions like "A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder," "Slave Play," "Good Night, and Good Luck," and "Hold On to Me Darling"—is a significant aspect of Das's latest endeavor.

"There is nothing more exhilarating than starting at the base of a ladder, where you engage with people who are more accomplished than you, pushing your craft to adhere to truly global standards. For me, that has always been Broadway, and in this case, Broadway and 65th," Das expressed in a statement.

He shared that it's been a long-cherished dream to do a residency, particularly at the Lincoln Center Theater, where he will commence his first-ever residency by showcasing Indian comedy to a global audience. Performing at a venue that has experienced the presence of Indian greats like Ravi Shankar and M S Subbulakshmi is both an honor and a profound responsibility for him.

"Although comedy is a different medium, it fundamentally revolves around human connection, transcending cultures and languages to find common ground," he added.

"Hey Stranger," according to Das, emerged from a desire to connect, laugh, reflect, and embrace our shared uniqueness. The opportunity to share this with an international audience at a venue that has hosted the best of the best is a dream he couldn't have even envisaged at the start of his career.