Hey look, we're not dead! We're back for a fresh episode of "So You're an Artist", joined via Zoom by Dr. Arnab Banerji. Arnab is an Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts at Loyola Marymount University, and has his Ph.D in Theatre and Performance Studies with a focus on Bengali Theatre in Kolkata, his home city. I chat with Dr. Banerji about growing up in Kolkata, moving to the States, the theatrical styles of India both pre and post-Western Influence, and about contemporary Indian representation in the media. And, as a bonus, Arnab is a HUGE fan of "The Office", so we play a little trivia game at the end of the episode to see just how big a fan he is. Keep up with Arnab on Instagram (@arnabanerji) and learn more about him on his website at www.arnabbanerji.weebly.com! Be sure to check out his essays on performing Bengali identity and critical creative citizenship and the 13th South Asian Theatre Festival via the links below.

The Social Drama of Durga Puja: Performing Bengali Identity in the Diaspora: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5325/ecumenica.12.1.0001?seq=1

Finding Home in the World Stage: Critical Creative Citizenship and the 13th South Asian Theatre Festival 2018: https://jadtjournal.org/2020/05/20/finding-home-in-the-world-stage-critical-creative-citizenship-and-the-13th-south-asian-theatre-festival-2018/

Don't forget to fill out those ballots and drop 'em off at your nearest Ballot Drop Box! See you in two weeks!