Quarantine Q/A: VAIBU MOHAN

Vaibu Mohan

by Gil Benbrook

Our series of "Quarantine" interviews, which focus on individuals involved in the Phoenix theatre community and their reaction to Arizona's stay at home mandate and the recent protests to fight racial injustice, continues today with a conversation with ASU graduate and Valley actress and playwright Vaibu Mohan.

The COVID-19 virus and the protests for racial equality in support of #blacklivesmatter  have affected us all in many ways. The theatre community has been harshly impacted with show closures and postponements. We hope this series of interviews will be a way to provide some personal insight into what people are doing during this period of time while highlighting familiar individuals from the theatre community in town.

Was there a show you were in or involved with or preparing for when the stay at home order started?

"I was preparing for the next set for the musical I wrote with Mario Yniguez, Adi-Antham. We had finished two readings for act one when I went to New York to interview for grad school and ASU showcase. When I saw Broadway shut down, I knew that our little show would face the same fate. I think that is the thing that hurt the most since I had been working on this show for almost two years and this was its first full length public reading. The good people at A/C Theatre had been kind enough to give us a platform and it is so rare that two young writers are afforded that opportunity, especially two writers of color. I was so excited to get to tell this story. My story. The story of an Indian-American family. And I have wept and mourned over it and hope it gets its moment in the sun soon. "

How have you been personally impacted by our current situation?

"As small and simple as it sounds, I did not get my senior year glory days. I did not get to walk across a stage and accept a diploma. I did not get to have Phoenix showcase with my wonderful cohort. I did not get to have my last night on Mill that would fade into a haze of tequila and euphoria. All I got and the entire class of 2020 got was waking up on a Monday morning with a cup of tea and clicking on a slide with my name on it. It was definitely disheartening that graduation just came and went with our pomp and circumstance (the song and the sentiment). We tried to make the most of it with Zoom happy hour and socially distant picnics but it is never the same."

How has your daily routine changed?

"The daily routine has become a never-ending battle between me and my laptop. Zoom fatigue is real and we all need to acknowledge that because I was taking classes online and I felt like there was a 100 pound weight on my head after I was done. It has been exhausting. However, I am finding comfort in the fact that my parents and I are all doing the work-from-home shtick and we can experience it together. The transition has been smooth but painful. Now that school is over, I’ve been focusing on giving myself dedicated writing time to develop some new projects and go back to old ones. This quarantine has forced me to get creative in the ways i work when I do not have creative contact with other humans and really have to pull inspiration out of myself. "

What do you feel will be different when theater restarts?

"I feel that we will never create theatre the same way even when we find a vaccine. This experience has created such a specific shared trauma in our community that I hope we finally create and present work that is meaningful to us and challenges people. The post World War II landscape made way for the Golden Age and I hope we find another one that pushes the art form and the industry forward. I also hope that there is a change in the way we do business and the people who decide how we do business. Many black artists are releasing statements right now about how they have been treated in the industry and I applaud them for speaking out. It is important for everyone to understand how we are complicit in profiting off of non-white stories and bodies but do not treat the artists with respect and dignity. The shutdown has become the Great Equalizer. No one can ignore us now and I hope they continue to listen when we are together again. "

When do you think that’ll happen?

"I think that theatre will be back in some form by the end of the year or the beginning of 2021. I know that producers and theatre owners are wary about being the first to open because it would be disastrous for them to be the cause of a flare up in COVID cases. However, Broadway is not the be all-end all of theatre making. Innovation is going to happen on the regional level in smaller houses and the higher levels of theatre are going to have to take notes based on what we do in this time. I think that outdoor theatre spaces are going to have a renaissance. I think that the virtual theatre experience is going to continue in some new and interesting hybrid way. Radio plays are even having a moment! Regardless of what happens, we have some of the greatest creative minds in the world. We’ll figure it out and it will be magnificent. "

Vaibu Mohan in Into the Woods - Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre
photo by Heather Butcher Photography

What have you been doing to stay creative during this time?

"I’m not going to lie, creativity has slowed since the lockdown. I’m the kind of artist who feeds off of the creative energy of others and it has been so difficult to be ripped from that. I’ve begun writing a play which takes place completely on Zoom and hopefully get it to reading stage so I can see some old friends again. I am doubling down on learning during this time and refining my skills as an instrumentalist because that’s something that satisfies me but doesn’t make my brain hurt as much. I’ve been working on some readings of new works which has been very interesting but I love all new works processes and that has been incredibly inspiring to be a part of. "

Any binge tv shows you’ve watched?

"What HAVEN’T I been watching!! I’ve been rewatching West Wing and it is truly Aaron Sorkin at his best. If you’re looking for a political TV show which will actually make you want to do something, this is the one for you. I just finished watching Space Force on Netflix and I would also highly recommend that. "

Vaibu Mohan and Kathlynn Rodin in
The Light in the Piazza - ASU Music Theatre and Opera
photo by Tim Trumble

Any new hobbies you’ve taken on?

"I cook and bake constantly now. My home is never without a baked good and my parents both love and hate me for it! "

How has this experience changed you?

"This experience has made me very angry and very motivated. It is insane and incredible that we are essentially reliving 1963 now. We have seen people go back into space and protests about racial inequity in the streets. Meanwhile there are people who still think that the pandemic is not a big deal or-even worse- a hoax. In the midst of all the chaos, I have been investigating my own complicity in the perpetuation of racism within the theatre. I have grown up and worked in the Arizona theatre community my whole life and recently I’ve been reflecting back on that. There have been multiple instances where I have either experienced racism or micro aggressions or seen my colleagues experience it and done nothing. I am angry at myself for not speaking up for myself out of fear. The Arizona theatre community needs to do better because regional theatre is important and visible. They have national reputations and have the unique opportunity to actually create a culture of upholding people of color not just as actors, but in their creative teams as well. In my time in Arizona, I have worked with one choreographer of color, one costumer of color, no directors of color and no producers of color. They exist and they are hungry for opportunity and it costs theatre institutions nothing to hire them and gain a new perspective in the process. I fear I may have veered from the question but I think this is something I need to say before I move away from Arizona for the first time in my life. I love this community with my whole heart and I want to see it thrive and flourish. "

What is the one thing you’re most looking forward to now that Arizona and most states have lifted the stay at home order?

"I’m looking forward to continuing my personal stay-at-home. This is the first time since I began college I’ve been able to be at home and just spend time with my parents. I know that I am not going to be living with them for much longer so I’m soaking it up while I can. I will continue to approach with caution in public spaces and lead with compassion. In the meantime, you can find me with a strong cup of tea and my copy of Finishing The Hat. "