Blogging, unexpected

There are few things that are less expected than an intermittently-updated blog suddenly coming to life after eight months. Hopefully this is a pleasant unexpectedness, so, first… hello and Happy New Year! (Given that we’re still in the first month of 2026, it feels ok to say that.)

Second, I apologize for going dark for so long. However, given the content clutter we deal with on a daily basis, maybe that wasn’t too bad 😊.

How it’s been, how it’s going

Gratitude and reflecting on service

So, much gratitude for all that 2025 brought, despite a healthy smattering of not-so-awesome experiences (loved ones passing, friends dealing with life-threatening illnesses, and more) that, while being great teachers, are best left in the year that was.

Where, in our own way, can we do the greatest good? Where, and how, are we helping change the world? And are we being of service to ourselves in the process, as that is how we’re of greatest service to others?

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I am THRILLED to be able to officially tell you that, effective June 1, I start as Managing Director for People’s Light, a remarkable professional nonprofit theatre in beautiful Malvern, Pa!

While I didn’t know it when I started exploring my next adventure, People’s Light was exactly where I needed to land.

Having come home to the arts after a long and winding road couple of decades—and having absolutely loved my time at Arena Stage, for which I will forever be grateful—I knew that was where I wanted to stay.

That’s where I felt my head for data and my heart for storytelling could be of greatest service, at a time when the arts—and the mirror that they hold up to society—are more vital than ever.

Coming together at People’s Light

In addition to having built a sterling reputation for remarkably high-caliber theatre that brings people together around its “campfire” over the past 50 years—People’s Light has all the ingredients needed for ambitious growth, for which it was looking for its next Managing Director:

• an incredibly stunning 7-acre campus that is wildly versatile
• 2 gorgeous theatres
• a restored 18th-century farmhouse that is the perfect events space
• an on-site restaurant
• a resident company of artists (this in and of itself is a massive deal)
• on-site company housing
• tons of outdoor space with beautiful gardens and multiple areas for events and more…

… and, most of all, one of the most talented, dedicated, exuberant, and KINDEST groups of people—from the staff, to the Trustees, and everyone in between—it has ever been my privilege to meet.

When your ambitions are sky-high, it’s the people that will take you there.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

I’m still pinching myself that, partnering with Producing Artistic Director Zak Berkman, I get to guide this incredible company to greater and greater heights.

That said, this will certainly be a big change for me. As I get ready to move from the DMV to the Philly area in a couple of months, I know I will be on an emotional rollercoaster for a while to come.

It will be hard to leave a place, and people, I’ve grown to love and care for deeply over the past 21 years. My community has carried me through the toughest of times; there’s literally no way I’d be here without them.

But I have so much love and goodwill behind me, as well as ahead of me, I know I will be ok.

I will be more than ok.

I am stepping into the light. People’s Light.

Photo courtesy People’s Light

The post [NEWS ALERT]: My next adventure begins at People’s Light! appeared first on Shonali Burke.

You can take the girl out of…

It may have taken me 25 years to come home to the arts, but that’s where I’m going to stay. Because you can take the girl out of art, but you can’t take art out of the girl.

Watching this reel Bucklesweet did with me in 2023 was a fun walk down memory lane!

In the beginning

For Indian students in an ICSE school like I went to (this is one of the major national secondary school certificates), you get a broad and rigorous education in both the humanities and the sciences.

Once you’re in the 9th grade, you level up. Because this is where you start to “streamline.”

While most subjects (history, geography, etc.) are still mandatory, you now get to choose an “elective,” such as art, computer science, economics, etc. The idea is that you start to explore your interests/aptitude, so that as you graduate high school and start college, you’ve gotten a lot of the basics covered, thereby (hopefully) setting you up for academic and career success.

At the time, two of the electives my school offered were art and economics. I loved language, history, and everything to do with the arts, and was thrilled with my first art class where our teacher, Mr. Mishra aka “Billy Goat” (thus christened because of his goatee), started us off on drawing still life.

“You chose art?”

As we were doing the typical lunchtime roundtable of “here’s what happened today,” my dad (his office was close enough that he could come home for lunch), stopped my excited recounting of how to draw an apple in its tracks.

“You chose art?” he said, in a tone that managed to convey befuddlement, disapproval, and disappointment all at once. “Why did you do that? What will you do with art?”

My heart sank, and I knew that, whether I liked it or not, I would be changing my elective to economics (we had a week or two if we wanted to switch). Because in my home, much like in many Indian homes, you didn’t argue with dad. They loved you and knew what was best for you and that was that.

Time for college

I switched to economics, and did well enough. I continued to study it through high school, and it was one of the two majors I applied for when it came time for college. The other was English.

I got into both courses at a few very good colleges in Kolkata, and again, at my dad’s behest, enrolled in Economics rather than English (which was what I really wanted to do). Because, again, “what would I do with English?”

Now, there were parts of my Economics degree that I really enjoyed, including some parts of my “subsidiaries” (aka minors) of Political Science and Math.

But what really got me through college was the community theater I’d fallen in love with in high school, and which became what I lived and breathed.

That’s 18-y-o me in rehearsal for “Smike,” where I played Fanny Squeers. It’s a little-known but great musical. 

It was where I felt at home. It was where I—shy by nature—could become someone else, learning more about myself as I inhabited someone else’s skin. It was where I could explore different worlds with others wildly different but as curious as I, and where experimentation wasn’t just allowed, it was welcomed.

Bohemian(ish) rhapsody

Despite my dad’s deep desire for me to pursue my MBA—again, he was not uncommon among Indian fathers in this wish—I was very clear that I would not. So, after spending a hellish year interning at a financial services firm, I applied to the National School of Drama to pursue further studies in theater.

Now, NSD was notoriously difficult to get into back in the day (and probably still is). There are certainly several options for theater training in India and Asia today, but back then, it was pretty much the place to go. I was wildly out of my comfort zone in the initial, and then final, auditions and interviews. In fact, I was so convinced that I would not be accepted, I didn’t even wait to get the admission results before taking the train back to Kolkata from New Delhi.

But I did. And it set the stage [sic] for the rest of my life in a way I could never have anticipated.

Theater dad

As much as he’d hoped I’d move into finance, or become a doctor, my dad was very proud that I’d been accepted into NSD. As strong as his prior persuasions had been, once I made theater my chosen path, he never once tried to dissuade me.

Through the years I was a student, and then a working repertory actress, his work would frequently bring him to New Delhi. And if we were performing when he was in town, you bet my dad would be in the front row. His transformation to MBA/doctor dad to theater dad was quite remarkable.

Note: my mom was always a theater mom. It’s my dad’s transformation that was remarkable, which is why the story is about him.

One of the best experiences of my life was as a voice actor for The Action Players, India’s first troupe of deaf actors, founded by the late, great, Zarin Chaudhuri

I continued to work as a theater actress and director for several more years before emigrating to the United States. Once here, I segued into PR & marketing, primarily for theater and the arts, and then into broader mission-driven work.

And, if you’ve followed my career through the years, you’ll know I developed a deep fascination and love for data and analytics, which started to inform and shape my ideas on brand, strategy, and how mission-driven organizations could increase their impact.

Those Economics and Math classes didn’t go to waste after all!

Coming full circle

When I joined Arena Stage in 2021, I felt the serendipity of a full circle moment. With a head for data, and a heart for storytelling, I was right back where I belonged. I could use everything I’d learned along the way to not just tell the company’s story more effectively, but to make better connections with our audiences, so they in turn could feel more connected to the magic of the stories being told on our stages.

Because that storytelling was how we—art makers, teachers, and administrators—changed the world.

I don’t know yet know where I’ll find my next home (I’m working on it!), but I know this: it will be in the arts.

The arts are where we explore, and try to make sense of, life and the world around us. They help us understand, and appreciate, different perspectives, and enrich the social and economic fabric of our communities. And they are a massive value-add: the National Endowment for the Arts estimated the arts contributed 4.3% of GDP to the U.S. economy in 2022, when we were still recovering from the pandemic.

If the arts changed your life in some way, as they did mine, I hope you’ll continue to support them. As for me, now that I’m home in the arts, that’s where I’m staying. It’s who I am, and where I can be of greatest service.

If my MBA-doctor-theater dad (he passed away a year ago Feb. 5) and mom (7 years in October) were still alive, it’s exactly what they’d want, and expect.

And I’m nothing if not their daughter.

The post A Valentine to The Arts and My Theater Dad appeared first on Shonali Burke.

When stormy waters bring you home

The recent waves buffeting the Broadway run of Swept Away: A New Musical are a fascinating look into what I think is still one of the most important and overlooked factors of brand and organizational growth (and, therefore, revenue): community.

(Link to official “Swept Away” art)

A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Longacre

Here’s a quick timeline:

• January 2022: the show has its world premiere at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. It’s so successful, it’s extended not once, not twice, but thrice.

An amazing feat, if you remember that we were still very much in the middle of the pandemic.

• November 2023: the show has its East Coast premiere at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.

Again, it is so successful that an extension is announced on Opening Night, and it ends up grossing $2M+ (I know, I was Arena’s Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer at the time).

• June 2024: the Broadway run is announced
• November 2024: Opening Night is packed, and people can’t stop hooting and hollering (as you can see from the pic, being there was a huge thrill for me, having worked on the Arena production).

The reviews start streaming out incredibly quickly. They’re a mixed bag, but it still gets a New York Times “Critic’s Pick” (which I, personally, 100% agreed with; I loved the show).

With all this, you’d think it’s set to sail on for a while, right?

Wrong.

• Dec. 5, 2024: The show’s closing is set for Dec. 15, due to “unsustainable box office sales” (John Gallagher Jr.’s announcement is so emotional, as you can see from this TikTok from @kimberlyortiz9513).

That’s less than a month since it opened. So disappointing and, yes, heartbreaking for anyone who’s worked on the show, even in the run-up to Broadway.

But wait, there’s more.

• Dec. 10, 2024: Stark Sands announces an extension to December 29, thanks to fans rallying and spreading the word. This video is as touching as John’s closing announcement, but way more uplifting.

Now, a show announcing an early closing is not all that unusual. Wikipedia has a list, so Tammy Faye is in good company.

But announcing an extension because of a surge in ticket sales after announcing a closing because of disappointing ticket sales? Not usual at all.

There is absolutely no doubt that the Swept Away community made this happen.

This doesn’t surprise me, because when we had the show at Arena, the conversations and bonding in a private Facebook group  were absolutely fascinating.

#AvettSailors for life

You could see them:

• share stories and photos
• plan meetups from around the country (and the world)
• become friends with virtual strangers, convert those online interactions into in-person hugs, and stay close long after
• give their personal tips on where you might want to watch the show from, for your second (or third, or…) viewing, to get a different perspective
• create their own merch, with which they were incredibly generous (thank you, Carol Mucha, for permission to use this screengrab)
• avidly share and reshare any/all media coverage and content, which gave legs of a whole different kind to the publicity that was already being generated, and massively boosted ticket sales.

You know what was really remarkable about this group? They didn’t let off once the Arena run closed.

They kept the conversation going, musing about if/when it might make it to Broadway, how excited they’d be once it got there… and when it did, boy, did they show up!

This is the power of community.

This is the power of true connection, when what you’re offering rings so true with the folk you’re trying to reach, they don’t just become a customer (or patron, or ticket buyer, or ___), they become advocates and ambassadors.

And they tell your story for you in a way you. Just. Can’t.

That’s what we saw happen, all those years ago, when we worked on the Blue Key campaign for USA for UNHCR. That’s what I’ve seen happen many times since, when leaders commit to community-building across a range of stakeholder groups. It’s a cornerstone of what I dubbed Social PR many years ago and, if it isn’t already, it’s one of the key areas you need to pay attention to for 2025.

I’m still thinking a lot about what, if anything, could have changed the trajectory of the Broadway run, so possibly more thoughts on that soon.

For now, your two takeaways are:

• If you can make it to the Longacre before Dec. 29, go see Swept Away. You won’t regret it (I have no vested interest in recommending the show to you other than I think it’s remarkable); and
• Start thinking about who your community is, what drives them, and how you can make them feel like the most important people in the world.

If you haven’t yet started on your 2025 strategic plan, this is a great place to begin.

If you have, make sure you’re giving your community the time and attention they deserve. They could very well be the difference between make or break, and you’ll be nothing short of thankful.

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I remember when, back in the days we were feverish bloggers, sticking to a blogging schedule and calendar was more important than God, your first-born, voting… ok, maybe not voting.

But consistency and regularity meant the world to us, leading to many a sleepless night. That has clearly not been the case with me for a while 😉.

Since I am back on the blog, I figured I’d give you a year’s worth of updates at one go.

1. I’m still on Facebook. More interestingly, Pickles has an Instagram account, and recently met Maxine the Fluffy Corgi, over which she I went bonkers.

2. Personally, there has been a LOT going on. My father passed away, I got engaged 💖, we had a wedding and two passings in my fiancé’s family, including his mother, more people dear to me passed away… it’s been a tough year, in that regard.

3. Following a restructure at the leadership level, I closed out my time at Arena Stage on June 30. I’m very, very grateful for everything I was able to accomplish at this iconic theater, including bring back its post-pandemic earned revenue from $0 t0 $7M+ and take my second show to Broadway.

Most of all, I am incredibly grateful for the legendary leadership I got to learn from, the wonderful teams I got to (re)build and lead, and the remarkable colleagues I got to work with, all because of whom, and which, we achieved such success, bringing the joy of live theater to audiences from all around the world. They will always be close to my heart.

4. I won some awards! Unbeknownst to me, Gigawatt Group, with whom we’d worked while I was still at Arena, entered us in AMA Baltimore’s 2024 MX Awards. And we won not one, but two, for brand awareness and influencer marketing. Yay us!

5. After putting myself on sabbatical post-June 30 to catch my breath and regroup from LIFE (see #s 2 & 3 above), I’m now actively in the market for my next leadership position. I’m very grateful for the continued coaching and support of JobMorph (disclosure: Maryse, the founder, is a good friend, and I’m a micro-investor) and so many of my friends and colleagues as I move closer and closer to my next great adventure.

6. With voting underway for the 2024 US Elections, I was deeply touched by my friend Mercy Chikowore’s incredibly well-written piece in the Huffington Post at the apathy of those who take their right to vote for granted.

I remember how important it felt to vote, when I got to do so for the first time, a decade-plus ago… and how it continues to feel that way.

That people who can, won’t, feels like a travesty of everything this country stands for.

If you can, and haven’t already, please vote.

7. Returning from an afternoon matinée today, I was tempted to skip a quick trip to Trader Joe’s to replenish my fading flowers. But, given the heightened state of anxiety we’re all living in, I’m glad I revisited that decision.

And now I have beautiful flowers in a vase that bears the inscription: “Spread kindness like wildflowers.”

So I will sign off with that.

Be a wildflower. Spread kindness the way only you can. And I’ll see you on the flip side.

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