PRATIK MOTWANI
ACTOR
/DEVISOR
/THEATRE MAKER
/ARTS EDUCATOR
“Motwani has elastic physicality; each new idea or feeling seems to reanimate his entire being, his every nerve ending alive to the most minuscule shift in mood”
“highly trained in physical and masked theatre, (Pratik) had the audience in hysterics ... a brilliantly executed, wordless study of how naked a performer can feel on stage, how humiliating for everyone the unexpected can be”
“Pratik’s physical grasp of the Commedia moves makes it seem as if the original Ruzzante (playwright and actor Angelo Beolco (1502-1542) nicknamed Il Ruzzante) has come to life. Motwani can mime the birth of a child with a few moves of his pelvis and bring back the memory of Motown with his singing and dancing. The man is versatile”
Originally from Mumbai, India, Pratik is an Actor/Theatre Maker/Theatre Educator with a specialization in eastern and western forms of mask performance technique and devised physical theatre. He holds an MFA in ensemble based physical theatre from Dell'Arte International, Blue Lake, CA. He is currently adjunct faculty with Ohio University where he teaches an online devising class with the final year MFA students. As an educator his teaching focuses on Ensemble Devising, Mask Performance and Character Physicality, Animal Movement, Play and Community Based Arts.
Pratik has been an actor/company member and educator of mask performance technique with IMAGO Theatre based in Portland, Oregon. With IMAGO Pratik has toured nationally and internationally as a lead performer and teaching artist in their world renowned physical comedy/mask performance/puppetry shows - FROGZ and Zoo Zoo (2012-2017).
Pratik has also been an Actor/Company Member with the Dell'Arte Company (Blue Lake, California); Director of Recruitment and Lead Faculty (movement and mask performance/improvisation/play/community based arts) at Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre (MFA program).
Pratik has performed and taught physical/devised theatre internationally in France, Egypt, Jordan, India, Canada and has been invited as a guest artist/faculty by institutions and universities across the US including: The Kennedy Center; Yale School of Drama; Texas Tech University; University of California in Berkley; UC Santa Cruz. For several years he has served as a respondent/judge at Kennedy Center's American College Theatre Festivals (KCACTF) and also served as director for their devised theatre initiative.
As a self producing actor/creator, Pratik likes to collaborate with other national/international artists and cross genre/cross sector partners to create, produce, tour both solo and ensemble based original works of devised physical theatre; His work seeks to manifest new worlds by integrating multiple mediums/art forms and searches for emergent forms of theatrical vocabulary and story telling within it. His work often contemplates themes of identity and inclusion, death and transformation, illusion and duality and includes aspects of Commedia Dell'Arte, Mask Performance, Puppetry, Heightened Physical Movement, Vaudaville and Clown. His original works have been presented by the US embassy, Kennedy Center's American College Theatre Festival, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, National Performance Network - Pangea World Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre - CAATA ConFest Chicago, The BRICK NYC - NY Clown Festival, Edmonton Clown Festival, Hakawy International Festival (Cairo), Fools Fury Festival (San Francisco), CoHo Summer Fest (Portland), and internationally in countries like Egypt, India, Canada and Zimbabwe.
As part of the California Arts Council’s Create CA initiative and The North Coast Arts Integration Project, Pratik has worked with local high schools and other youth programs in developing strategies to integrate and implement high quality arts programming within their educational curriculum. Via these initiatives Pratik has lead international cultural exchange programs between Girls High School Harare, Zimbabwe; Dell’Arte International; and has been Lead Artist/Producer for the Rural Residency program at Dell'Arte International.
Currently Pratik’s work bases him in Mumbai, India, where he is working as a Film/TV actor and acting coach. His most recent work includes his performance as the Kashmiri Informant ‘Babrak’ in Sony Liv’s web series ‘Avrodh - Season 2’. He has also given his voice to actor Dev Patel (protagonist) in the Hindi version of the Oscar winning film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. Pratik continues to teach online classes for Universities in the United States and is a faculty member in the theatre department at California State Summer School For The Arts (CSSSA).
PRESS LINKS
https://www.picturethispost.com/CAATA-PRESENTS-EMBEDDED-REVIEW/å
http://www.orartswatch.org/EMBEDDED-REVIEW-CON-JOB/
https://www.broadwayworld.com/san-francisco/article/Pratik-Motwani-Breaks-The-Walls-Of-Live-Theatre-And-DivisiveVirtual-Identities-With-EMBEDDED-20180703
https://www.sfgate.com/performance/article/Dell-Arte-International-does-commedia-13025781.php
https://www.kcactf4.org/itja/4254/theatre-with-pratik-motwani-an-experience/
http://www.madriverunion.com/send-in-the-clownactorengineer/
https://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/pratik-motwani-sails-solo-with-the-long-way-at-mat/Content?oid=7928882
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/International-Physical-Theatre-Solo-Shows-Set-for-United-Solo-2017-20170810
https://springsonstage.com/2017/10/20/review-the-long-way/
http://artslandiakids.com/playing-an-animal-a-zoozoo-performer-gives-an-inside-look/
http://www.orartswatch.org/farewell-my-lovely-zoozoos-splendid-final-stand/
http://stagenstudio.com/2015/12/imagos-zoozoo/
http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-he-gave-jamaal-his-kamaal-1263151,
http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/chembur-boy-lends-voice-to-jamaal-in-slumdog-crorepati/418163/2
PANNEL TALKS & CONFERENCES:
PODCAST INTERVIEWS:
FILM/OTT/TV PROJECTS
International Projects:
Slumdog Millionaire - Hindi Voice for protagonist Dev Patel; Directed by: Danny Boyle; Produced by: Celedor Films, Film 4 Productions
The Sky is Everywhere; Directed by: Josephine Decker; Apple TV production
Mary Jane: A Musical Potumentary ; Directed by: John Howarth; Produced by: Sam Clauder, Michael Fields, Guru Lashlee
Indian Projects:
Avrodh Season 2 - Web Series; Applause Entertainment; Sony Liv (India)
Bajao - Web Series (In Post Production) ; Jio Studios
Upcoming: Projects with Sony Live (India); Disney Hotstar (India); India Take One Productions (USA/India)
ORIGINAL DEVISED WORK:
NO SHO Talks (In Quarantino)
Actor/Writer/Creator
NO SHO Talks (In Development):
VIDEO: www.noshotalks.com
WEBSITE: www.noshotalks.com
Episodic Talks by Bhagwaan Shri NO SHO (A metaphysical manifestation Inspired by the Indian Guru and founder of the Rajneesh movement - OSHO). Spiritual Humor and Cosmic Comedy collide in this parable style youtube talks broadcasted from a hitherto unknown/unseen dimension which NO SHO calls ‘Quarantino’ - “A profoundly deep inner space of meditative and contemplative isolation where all form exists in constant reform, where all matter is nothing but a matter of time and where all life exists in none but one nation - Hibernation”
#//<EMBEDDED>//#
Actor/Creator/Writer/Director
#//<EMBEDDED>//# -
VIDEO: www.embeddedtheshow.com
WEBSITE: www.embeddedtheshow.com
A Multimedia piece of devised theatre combining Film Projection, Image projection, GIF Animation and Physical Theatre. An introspection on Identity and connections in a digital world
Opening Ceremony Keynote Performance for 2018 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, Region 5
Official Selection, 2018 CoHo Summerfest, PDX
Official Selection, 2018 FURY Factory Fest, SFO
Official Selection, 2018 CAATA Confest, Chicago
The Long Way
Actor/Creator/Writer/Director
The Long Way -
VIDEO: www.thelongwayshow.com
WEBSITE: www.thelongwayshow.com
Off Broadway showcase, Theatre Row, 2017 United Solo Festival, NYC
Official Selection, 2020 Fools Fury Festival,SFO
Official Selection, 2020 CAATA ConFest, Hawai
The Mysterious Magical Brandishers of Magic!
Actor/Co Creator/Co Writer
The Mysterious Magical Brandishers of Magic -
WEBSITE: www.brandishersofmagic.com
A Daredevil style “freak show” performed by an International, Intercontinental and Intergalactic clown trio - Fuses together worlds of Vaudaville, Magic, Illusion and Clown
Official Selection for 2018 New York Clown Festival, The BRICK, NYC;
Official Selection for 2017 Play the Fool Festival, Edmonton, Canada
THE HEROINE OF HORSESHOE FALLS
Actor/Writer/Creator
The Heroine of Horse Shoe Falls -
VIDEO: The Heroine of Horseshoe Falls
Based on the true story of Annie Edison Taylor - A 64 year old woman who was the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel.
IN-Tents
Founder/Co Creator
IN'Tents -
VIDEO: www.intentsvideo.com
WEBSITE: www.intents.snappages.com
2014, Oregon Shakespeare Festival - Green Show, Ashland, OR
Selected by the US embassy as part of AFCA's 5th annual Hakawy International Arts Festival for Children in Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt.
COMPANY WORK
Dell'Arte Company
Ruzante Returns Home From War
Actor/Co Creator/Co Writer
Dell'Arte Company, Blue lake,CA -
WEBSITE: www.dellarte.com
As an actor with the Dell’Arte Company Pratik was recently seen playing leading roles in their production of The State of Jefferson (2017), The Big Thirst (2016), Comedy of Errors (2014) and most recently in the title role as Ruzante (Arlechino) in a Commedia Dell'Arte adaptation of Ruzante Returns From The War, June 2018 at Dell'Arte International's Mad River Festival.
IMAGO THEATRE
FROGZ!
Actor/Touring Company Member
IMAGO Theatre, Portland, OR
VIDEO: www.imagotheatre.com
WEBSITE: www.imagotheatre.com
Pratik has also toured nationally/internationally as lead performer and teaching artist with IMAGO Theatre, Portland, OR in their world renowned physical comedy/mask performance shows FROGZ and Zoo Zoo (http://www.imagotheatre.com/workshop.htmll)
THE
SPIRIT OF
THE MASK
Curriculum designer/Educator
THE SPIRIT OF THE MASK
Workshops and Intensive training in mask performance, devised work and the craft of the physical actor
Pratik has taught guest lectures in mask performance technique, physical theatre and devised work as part of master class series “The Spirit of the Mask” in university programs across the United States including Pennsylvania State University, University of California in Berkley, University of Missouri in Columbia, Virginia Tech, Michael Chekhov School,NY, and Internationally including countries like Canada, Egypt, Jordan, India and France; has been an invited guest teacher/respondent/judge at Kennedy Center's American College Theatre Festivals
COMMUNITY BASED ENGAGEMENT WORK
RURAL RESIDENCY, Dell'Arte International
Faculty/Producer
As part of the first year MFA and PTP (professional Training Program) program at Dell’Arte International students interface with a specific rural community to create an original theatrical event; During the course of the 8 – 10 day residency, students meet with community members and organizations, teach workshops, camp at a local campsite, and create a final performance event inspired by the community.
International Artistic/Cultural Exchange Program
Producer/Lead Artist
A 10 day international cultural/artistic exchange program between Girls High School Harare (GHSH) Zimbabwe, Arcata High School and Dell'Arte International. Key partners included Lloyd Nyikadzino (Theatre Teacher, GHSH Zimbabwe) and Anne Bown-Crawford (Director, Arcata Arts Institute).
RUN, HIDE, REPEAT - A devised adaptation of American cartoonist Art Speigelmen's graphic novel MAUS.
Lead Artist
A collaboration between the Arcata Arts Institute and Dell'Arte International - Funded by California Arts Council's Artist in School Engagement Grant