Illuminating humanity through laughter and narratives | 3x34

Joining us in this episode is a remarkable storyteller and creative activist, Alaudin Ullah, whose work resonates deeply across cultures and communities. One of the first South Asians to appear as a stand-up comedian on national television, including Comedy Central, BET, MTV, and PBS, his groundbreaking one-person, multi-character play, Dishwasher Dreams, has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide, shedding light on the immigrant experience with humor and profound narrative depth.

Ullah's three-act play Halal Brothers centers on the interactions between African American and Bengali Muslims in a Harlem halal butcher's shop on the day of Malcolm X's murder in 1965. In his autobiographical solo show, Dishwasher Dreams, Ullah and musician Avirodh Sharma take audiences on a journey of vivid remembrances and discoveries from 1930s India (now Bangladesh) to 1970s Spanish Harlem to present-day Hollywood. 

Alaudin shares his experiences growing up in a culturally divided household, and opens up about the significant impacts in his life that had shaped his cultural identity. As a creative activist, Alaudin expresses the role as an artist and storyteller when it comes to shaping societal perceptions and fostering empathy, especially in today's diverse and often divided world.