By Sangeeta Kumar

Desipina’s compilation of seven 11 minute plays, each set in a distinct 7-11 convenience store, hits all the right notes. For its seventh and final season this innovative enterprise stages seven of its best works including two musicals - a last hurrah of sorts. An integral part of the production is the transition music - big props to Samrat Chakrabarti for moving the evening forward with his superb compositions.

While the stories deal with universal themes like alienation, loss, escape and community the series audaciously uses the potent symbol of America, the convenience store, to challenge immigrant stereotypes while promoting dialog.

This year’s line-up starts off with the powerful ‘What’s in Store’ by Rehana Mirza. Steve (Andrew Guilarte) and his wife Laura (brilliantly played by Cindy Cheung) run into Steve’s old girlfriend, the owner of the store, Joanna (Kavi Ladnier). He’s moved on but she seems to be stuck in the same story and is still waiting for closure. It’s a formidable exposition of how men and women can be in a society. Her loneliness lingers as she’s left to close-up shop while he heads home with his wife, in spite of their constant bickering.

‘Raj Against the Machine’ by Vishakan Jeyakumar focuses on a Sri Lankan immigrant as he misses his life back home and shares his travails with his patient customer and friend Dushawn (Tim Cain).

Samrat Chakrabarti & Sanjiv Jhaveri’s ‘Soonderella’ is a fairy tale of sorts. With Jay J. Lee on the keyboards the musical has the feel of a Disney production playfully addressing, at its core, negotiation and escape from the drudgery of running the store. The chemistry between Cindy Cheung and the Maharaja is palpable and the singing top-notch.

‘One Dollar Box’ by Eugene Oh is eerily pertinent and examines desperate measures required to triumph adversity. The Two brothers (Jay J. Lee and Christopher Larkin) are contrasts with the younger brother taking care of the family’s needs with money earned from selling drugs. The irony in the end is inescapable.

‘Closing Up Shop’ by Carla Ching is a tender window into what happens when its time for the next generation to take over. Jay J. Lee is convincing as Old Su. He has nurtured the store and when the young Sam comes in to buy the store taking stock of the business he learns that it is an exercise in community and not just a business deal. Only the best flowers will do because after all the flowers have an intrinsic worth that goes beyond the bottom line.

Rishi Chowdhary’s ‘Color Me Desi’ is an astute and humorous take on different shades of brown and lingering cultural hangovers - from hip–hop mouthing Indo-Carribean home-boys (hat-tip to Kavi Ladnier) to Punjabi-American-Kenyan dutiful sons.

Finally the ‘piece de resistance’ - A ‘Very Desi Christmas’ by Samrat Chakrabarti and Sanjiv Jhaveri is a pop musical adaptation of Scrooge with a well choreographed and synchronized Bollywood routine at the end. The story illuminates the distinct cultural flavors of Christmas and how it finally brings warmth to the lonely and unyielding store manager Chandrakant.

Go see the show – it might just be the best $18 you’ll spend on entertainment this summer. Details can be found below.

Desipina & Company’s
(Rehana Mirza, Artistic Director & Rohi Mirza Pandya, Producing Director)

Seven.11 Convenience Theatre 2009: The Final Year
At Center Stage
48 W. 21st Street, 4th Floor, NYC
June 17, 2009 – June 28, 2009
Wednesday to Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm
$18 General Tickets
https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/662685