Playwright Rishi Varma announces the debut of his new play Sulfur Bottom, set to take the stage at The Jerry Orbach Theater at The Theater Center located at 210 West 50th Street. The play will have previews on Wednesday, August 13th and Sunday, August 16th with an opening date of August 20th, The schedule will play Wednesdays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays at 1 PM.
Bold, surreal, and emotionally raw, Sulfur Bottom is a new eco-gothic drama that explores the quiet devastation of environmental collapse through the eyes of one family over 40 years. Set in a decaying home on the edge of industrial sprawl, the play transforms the slow violence of pollution into something both intimate and unsettling.
With dark humor, vivid imagery, and the occasional beached whale, Sulfur Bottom blends grounded storytelling with moments of theatrical absurdity, offering a striking meditation on legacy, denial, and what it means to survive in a poisoned world.
This production marks the Off-Broadway debut of Rishi Varma, an emerging American playwright known for mixing comedy, drama, and the absurd into deeply human stories.
“I wrote this play because I kept thinking about what it means to stay, even when the place you love and call home is trying to kill you,” said Varma. “When the water’s toxic and the walls are crumbling, a talking whale doesn’t feel that far off. The surreal is the only part that makes any sense”
The production is directed by Megumi Nakamura, known for her visually inventive and emotionally precise work across stage and film.Sulfur Bottom is scheduled for two shows per week, with a runtime of approximately 90 minutes. The production is designed to be open-ended, allowing flexibility as it finds its footing at The Theater Center. The play’s cast and crew, yet to be announced, will bring Varma’s compelling vision to life, promising an engaging and thought-provoking experience for all attendees.
Rishi Varma writes at the crossroads of comedy and drama, often veering completely into the surreal and absurd. A playwright, screenwriter, actor, and producer based in New York City, whose work has appeared at Theaterlab and Urban Stages. Rishi studied playwriting at Northwestern University, where he led a full production and writer’s room before moving to NYC to become an actor-writer (very original!). His writing mixes humor and heart to dig into the weirdness of how people behave. And sometimes, it can get very weird. Outside of writing and acting, Rishi teaches SCUBA diving in the city (yes, really). He also shares life’s daily drama with his dog, a steadfast companion who remains unimpressed by résumés or curtain calls. Playwright Rishi Varma to Make Off-Broadway Debut With Sulfur Bottom at Jerry Orbach Theater
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