Thursday Night with Samavayah

The first thing I noticed when I walked into the Backdoor Playhouse last Thursday was low lighting and a red backdrop, so things were going well right off the bat. I wandered around for a while since the group was still setting up their props and instruments, and then I sat down in front and listened to one of the singers sing the opening prayer.

At first, it seemed strange. I was given a page that had unusual words on it, and later I found out that we, the audience, would be singing along. I'd never been to such a concert, but it seemed like it'd be fun. Later, the troupe informed us that we would be allowed to join them onstage and encouraged dancing and other actions during each verse.

It was definitely different, but that didn't take away from how enjoyable it was. It was very interactive and was... a liberating experience, at least while singing along. The back store that had Hindu-based materials was entertaining to browse through, as well. The night finished well, and the troupe regrouped at the Thai restaurant across the street.