NEWS Desk
Bangladeshi theatre troupe Rangamancha has made a memorable debut in Dallas with sold-out performances of “Jinn Kafil,” a stage adaptation of a story from Humayun Ahmed’s acclaimed Misir Ali series.
Staged on June 20 and 21 at the Dallas Children’s Theater, both performances played to full houses. According to the organisers, nearly 750 theatre enthusiasts attended the two shows, highlighting the growing appetite for Bangla theatre among the Bangladeshi diaspora in North Texas.
Adapted for the stage by Manzur Choudhury and directed by Farhad Hossain, Jinn Kafil follows Misir Ali as he investigates a series of mysterious incidents that blur the boundaries between reason, faith and the supernatural.
The production was developed over nearly 10 months by a team of more than 30 performers and crew members. The two-hour play blended contemporary stagecraft with digital projections, immersive lighting, atmospheric sound and visual effects to create a compelling theatrical experience.
Saiful Haque Rumi starred as Misir Ali, while Farhad Hossain appeared as the Writer. The cast also included Manzur Choudhury as Imam Irtaz Uddin, Nusrat Tinni as Latifa, Shaheen Sadat as the Writer’s friend and Arnila Guha Nolok as the Narrator. Other performers were Faizul Bari Apu, Sohana Mansur, Sabrina Rain, Taskir Ali Khan, Saber Hossain, Tarek Choudhury and Farzana Mostafa Abdul Malek, among others.
Beyond directing the production, Farhad Hossain led script development, visual design, costume and artistic direction, overall coordination and production management. Music direction was by Maksud Jamil Mintu, while Maruna Rahi served as assistant director and stage manager. Stage design was handled by Taskir Ali Khan, lighting design by Iqbal Anwar, makeup by Mery Choudhury, projection design by Taskirul Islam Nibir, and sound design and coordination by Rajib Yusufzai, with sound engineering by Tanvir Ahmed.
The production also benefited from creative guidance by Meher Afroz Shaon and Mohammad Jewel Rana. Before launching the troupe, Rangamancha organised two acting workshops led by veteran theatre personality Mamunur Rashid to prepare its performers.
Among the audience on opening night were Humayun Ahmed’s children, Bipasha Ahmed and Nuhash Humayun, who watched the adaptation of their father’s work and later met the cast and crew backstage.
Reflecting on the production’s success, Rangamancha president and director Farhad Hossain said, “Jinn Kafil has strengthened our dream of taking Bangla theatre in the diaspora to new heights. The audience’s love and support have become our greatest inspiration for future productions.”
Encouraged by the overwhelming response, the troupe has already received requests for additional performances. Rangamancha is now exploring opportunities to stage Jinn Kafil in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Chicago, the Washington, D.C.–Virginia metropolitan area and New York.
Post by News Desk
