Bombay in the Bay still on track for in-person performance

Photo by Sanjoli Gupta

The Indian Cultural Awareness Club (ICAC) officers are planning to be under the bright lights of the McAfee Center again next month with their annual Bollywood show, Bombay in the Bay (BNB), on Feb. 17, 18 and 19. 

Last year, due to COVID-19, audience members watched a pre-recorded show from their cars at the SHS parking lot.

While planning to have everyone wear masks and be safe in the theater, officers recognize the rapidly spreading omicron variant could force a change of plans. According to senior officer Alaina Srivastav, they are planning alternative show ideas, such as performing on the football field or pre-recording and live streaming the show like last year.

A typical BNB show consists of 18 dances — grade-level dances and specialty dances including Tamasha, Classical, Singing and Bhangra — paired with an ongoing skit throughout the show. 

This year, the skit will be based on the Bollywood movie “Dil Dhadakne Do.” Each grade hosts a boys, girls and co-ed performance. The seniors also hold all-girls dance (AMD) and all-males dance (AGD), which are selectively for seniors who have performed all throughout their high school years.

Tickets for the show will cost $15 and will be open for sale online in late January.

Similar to last year, practices are still being held outdoors with masks on. Showing vaccination cards may also be mandated before audience members enter the event.  

The funds from the show, obtained from the ticket prices and the food profits, will go toward the Tamil Nadu foundation, which supports underfunded government schools in India. They provide resources like laptops, computers, better instructors and better facilities.

The public schools there suffer a lack of  basic technology or working bathrooms, said senior club officer Kavya Narayan, saying, “We helped them [the Tamil Nadu foundation]  out a few years ago and they were a really easy charity to work with. They even had someone fly out to watch our performance a few years ago.”

Along with this effort, the other money raised throughout the year through samosa fundraisers and other sponsors will go directly to the tech crew, onstage expenses and McAfee Center rental. 

Senior club officer Adithya Peruvemba has also planned out where the money will go if the show is virtual. Instead of renting the McAfee Center and accounting for onstage expenses, the funds would go to renting out a projector and projection screen and hosting a drive-in show.

Though Peruvemba has accounted for several scenarios, he remains hopeful about the upcoming show.

“We all missed out last year with a virtual performance, and we’re eager this year to get back to an in-person show with an enthusiastic crowd that makes this really feel like BNB,” Peruvemba said.