Earlier this year, Shoba Narayan made her B'way debut stepping in for a vacationing Denee Benton, as Natasha in ''The Great Comet.''
As Playbill's Olivia Clement noted at the time: It wasn't just a personal milestone for her. Narayan is the first South Asian female in a principal role since ''Bombay Dreams'' over 10 years ago, and she was then the only South Asian female in a Broadway musical.
Narayan says: ''What's happening is really special. Growing up, I didn’t see a lot of me represented in the mainstream arts and media besides the animated characters Princess Jasmine from 'Aladdin' and Apu from 'The Simpsons' growing up. Today, TV and film has made moves towards South Asian representation, but Broadway has been a little bit behind. ... It would have meant so much to me [as a young South Asian girl] to see someone like me [on Broadway]. I’m overcome with happiness that a younger generation will have that opportunity.” |
