Welcome to the 33rd episode of A QISSAA with Ishika, Quintessential and Inspiring Stories of South Asian Artists, funded by the California Art Council’s Individual Artist Fellow Grant. I am so excited to welcome my guest today, fresh off the UK and Asia tour of Life of Pi, actor Sonya Venugopal! A proud Californian, she has lived in New York for 8 years.! In 2023, she made her Broadway debut in Life of Pi as Rani, while also covering the role of Pi. Some of her many theater credits include the Life of Pi (UK & Asia) tour, Come Fall in Love at The Old Globe, Atlantis at Virginia Rep, and Maggie with Goodspeed Operahouse. She has also been a part of readings like MĀYĀ and In Emily’s Words. Sonya also performed in the film Little Boxes and her song evrymee is streaming on all platforms. She holds an MFA in Musical Theater from the Boston Conservatory and a BA in Theater and Communications from Santa Clara University. Outside of performing, Sonya loves searching for the best East Coast replica of In-N-Out and is an avid reader and runner, though the cold weather in NYC this time of year really deters her from wanting to be outside! www.sonyavenugopal.com