City to host Pride weekend featuring theatre, book launch and drag night

A multi-day Pride weekend celebrating queer art and storytelling is set to take place in Kolkata this June, bringing together theatre, literature, and performance across intimate city venues.

The programme will include theatre performances on June 13 and 15 at The Urban Theatre Project, with shows scheduled for 5 pm and 8 pm. At the centre of the line-up is Labor Day Reunion, a play written and directed by Ahon Gooptu. The production explores themes of identity, memory, and belonging through a queer lens, offering audiences an emotionally layered narrative.

The play arrives in Kolkata after being developed across multiple spaces in the United States, including Connecticut, Iowa, and Florida. It was also workshopped in the city last year at The Urban Theatre Project, known for its focus on experimental and process-driven theatre. The script has since been published by Writers Workshop, adding a literary dimension to its journey from stage to page.

Alongside the performances, a book launch on June 14 at 6 pm at Raydiant Book Café & Bistro will bring together readers and theatre enthusiasts. The evening is expected to include conversations around the text, its themes, and the creative process behind the work.

The weekend itself is being put together by an interdisciplinary artist collective that operates between New York, Kolkata, and Minneapolis, reflecting a cross-cultural approach to storytelling and performance.

For many in the city, the appeal lies in how these events feel both intimate and accessible. “It’s nice to see smaller venues hosting something like this,” says Debolina Sen, a postgraduate student living in South Kolkata. “It feels less like a formal event and more like a space where you can really engage with the stories.”

That sense of closeness is also what draws in regular theatre-goers. “Kolkata has always had a strong theatre culture, but queer narratives are still not as visible as they should be,” says Sayan Mitra, a marketing professional based in Salt Lake. “Weekends like this make a difference—they open up conversations in a very natural way.”

Organisers describe the initiative as a space for both celebration and dialogue, where performance and writing intersect to highlight diverse queer experiences. Beyond the scheduled events, the weekend is also expected to extend into a drag night on June 26, although details around the programme are still being finalised.

“There’s something exciting about seeing different art forms come together like this,” says Rituparna Das, a freelance illustrator from North Kolkata. “You’re not just watching a play or attending a launch—you’re part of a larger cultural moment.”

With its blend of stage, page, and performance, the Pride weekend aims to create an inclusive cultural space that centres LGBTQIA+ voices while bringing together audiences across the city in a shared celebration of identity and expression.