OONA NATESAN
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte’s Production of ‘The Night Diary’
Period Research and Concept Design
Twelve-year-old Nisha is half-Muslim and half-Hindu struggling to figure out where she belongs. Her personal conflict deepens as India - the country she lives in - is divided into pieces during the Partition of 1947. When her father decides it’s too dangerous to stay where they are, they embark on a long and dangerous journey as refugees. Told through her journal entries to her mother, this stirring and heartfelt story reminds us that home is more than a place. It’s a feeling and a sense of belonging that comes from within.
Four actors play numerous characters throughout .A lot of storytelling in this particular play is told
through costume. Spices were the inspiration behind every character and color plays an important
part with that.
Director : Anjalee Deshpande Hutchison
Set Designer : Anita Tripathi
Composers : Parth and Aalap Desai
Lighting Design : Robyn Warfield
Photos by : Alex Aguilar
Textile and Costume Creation : Sandhya Shekhar
Period Research and Concept Design : Oona Natesan
Dramaturg : Anurag Wadehra