Jonmantor (The Reincarnation) Brochure

 Synopsis 

Is there life after death? If there is, is it possible to identify the person we lost in his new life, in a new form? Most religions believe that life doesn't end in death. But to a modern scientific mind, does this make sense? Or is it only a ploy to keep people motivated? ECTA's new play "Jonmantor" (The Reincarnation) examines these deep and serious questions with a twist of humor that will make you roll in laughter, but you'll leave the theatre thinking... what next? 

 Just before his death, Sudarshan Choudhury invests all his life savings to a unique insurance policy that leaves his family flabbergasted. As they try to grapple with this situation, they are forced to rethink their beliefs in life and death and make difficult compromises. 

 Director’s & Playwright's Biography 

 

Dr. Sudipta Bhawmik is a playwright, actor and director and has written several plays in Bengali and English. Sudipta’s plays tell the stories of the struggles and contradictions of the first generation Bengali immigrants (and their children) with their divided loyalties. This unique contribution to Bengali Theater has inspired several theater scholars to cite Sudipta’s plays in their scholarly work about diasporic theater. His plays have been produced and staged in USA, UK, Bangladesh, India, and have been translated and produced in several Indian languages like Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, and English. His plays have won several awards at different festivals in India as well as in USA and Canada. Major theater journals in India publish his plays and he has four books to his credit. He is also the writer, director, and performer of the popular podcast “The Stories of Mahabharata.”  Sudipta lives in New Jersey and is a member of the Dramatist Guild of America. 

Soumendu, involved with theater since childhood, has recently performed in lead roles in “God of Carnage”, “Curious Case of a Casual Terrorist”, “Bhopal”, Tagore’s “Sacrifice”, “Little Clay Cart”, “Hayavadana”, “Pagla Ghora”, “Three-Penny Opera”, “Sararattir” and “Rudali”. He considers himself fortunate to work with directors like Amol Palekar, Farley Richmond, Joanna Sherman, Mahesh Dattani, Usha Ganguli, Rudraprasad Sengupta, Meghnad Bhattacharya and well-known theater groups (Epic Actors’, ECTA, Bond Street Theater, Nandikar, Sayak). Soumendu performed and directed plays at prestigious theater festivals (Southeast Asia, US, and Canada). Locally, Soumendu actively performs and directs in South Asian Theater Festivals each year and other community theaters. He was an invited Panelists at a theater symposium (Hunter College, NY). Soumendu has also acted in lead roles in few short-film productions that were screened at various film festivals in US and Europe. In this play Soumendu plays the role of Gurudev 

 Antara, a staunch theatre lover, had been associated with audio-acting and recitation since her childhood. Her dream of being a thespian came true last year, 2021. She has performed in South Asian Theatre Festival in New Jersey this year in the play, ‘Ami Jagadish’, and in Kolkata. Antara is a computer engineer and works as an IT professional in a global financial institute. In this play Antara plays the role of Basavi.

 A theater enthusiast, Anirban has been associated with New Jersey theater community for the past five years and took part in plays like Solution X, Naughty Binodini, Dance Pe Chance, Khat Mat Kring, Military Sinduk, Cooking Show, Apaharan, Eta Byaktigoto, Padma Nadir Majhi. When he is not acting or rehearsing for the next play, Anirban can be found in the kitchen cooking up a storm, or trying to write a twisted mystery story. In this play Anirban plays the role of Bankim Bakshi 

 Rana is a theater enthusiast, whose journey on stage as an actor began in 2008. His first play was Shorse. And in the following years, he took part in plays like Eta Byakti- gato and Badal Sarkar's Choruibhati, Dui Hoojoorer Gappo,TeenPaisarPala,Ekti RajnaitikHatya,Solution X, Bipanno Bismay, Megh, ECTA’s Anahuta Sandhya, Prithibi, Agnes. He is playing the role of Biresh Biswas. 

 Sayantani is a theatre enthusiast and has been associated with New Jersey theatre group for the past 10 years. She has performed in South Asian Theatre festival Ganga Jamuna theatre festival in Kolkata. She has performed in plays like, Palok, Eta Byaktigoto, Bipanna Bishshaye, Grihopalito, Apaharan. She is playing Maya in this play. An MBA graduate, she works in digital marketing a well as Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality simulations. 

 Susmita , a writer & an orator by passion & profession has always been a fervid theatre lover since her childhood days. She has also been a script writer & has acted in short films & dramas in NewJersey. But her dream of being a real thespian came true when she attended the workshop for Agnes under Sudipta Bhawmik in 2021 & acted in a small role for the same. A globetrotter & a Bengali literature enthusiast Susmita also has a senior diploma in Odissi. She is playing the role of Ashabori in the play “Jonmantor”. 

 Indranil is playing the role of Suranjan in Janmantar. He thinks acting, recitation and music bring a great sense of joy in his busy life of computer programming. He has performed in Meerar Bodhua and Sadhok Ramprasad Jatra in New Jersey, and a few plays in Virginia and India in the past 

 Subhodev is a veteran member of ECTA and has participated in many productions, both off and on stage. His memorable performances include, Cassandra, Rajar Chithi, Iswar, and Agnes. In this play Subhodev plays the role of Col. Mukherjee 

 Arnab Bandyopadhyay, a theater-buff started pursuing his passion for theatre right from his childhood. His strong affinity towards the emotional and intellectual experiences that theater delivers continued as he moved to US and started off with varied multi-cultural platforms. He wants to pursue his dream to reach people through theatre. He is a proud father of two young boys and by profession, he works as a software engineer at an investment bank. In Janmantor, Arnab plays the role of Sunirmal 

 ECTA Inc. is a nonprofit theater company dedicated to the development and promotion of Indian art and culture in USA. Our mission is to tell our own stories through theater and other performing arts media. 

 

Our objectives are to present live theatre and other performing arts productions for the cultural education, entertainment, and inspiration of the community; to develop through theatrical workshops and other appropriate means, the artistic talents and skills of company members and other interested persons. 

 

ECTA have earned the distinction of producing plays that are related to our immigrant life and experience. They have staged their shows across USA and in India. Some of their productions, like “Phera”, “Kaalsuddhi”, “Durghatana”, “Ron”, “Rajar Chithi”, Satyameva” and “Anahuta Sandhya”. The plays “Palok” and “Cold Fusion” have won the hearts of theater lovers. The latest  productions include “Iswar, Prithibi, Bhalobasa”,"The Curious Case of a Casual Terrorist", “Nagorik?” and “Apaharan”.