Creative Roles
Dr Ria Meera Munshi is a visionary in the world of theatre and television, celebrated for her exceptional talents as a casting director, concept creator, cultural consultant, director, and playwright. Her contributions to top-tier theatrical productions, with sold out shows, have left an indelible mark on the arts, showcasing her ability to craft innovative concepts, direct acclaimed shows, write impactful plays, and work seamlessly with technological advancements.
Dr Ria’s projects are authentically Indian inspired, celebrating rich cultural heritage and traditions. Each production features the distinctive “Ria stamp” of vibrant colours, interactive storytelling, and engaging Bollywood dance sequences, ensuring unforgettable audience experiences. All theatrical productions were kindly funded by Arts Council England.
Thunderstruck
Thunderstruck connects the two epic stories of Diwali and Navratri together creating a truly captivating and immersive pieces of theatre featuring traditional Indian stories told in new ways. Poetic text, dance, drama, music and visual arts backed with dynamic sound design and digital video projection. Take a journey full of intimate moments, with a range of emotions whilst being spellbound by its technical brilliance!
Under the banner of her Manchester based Bollywood Guinness World Record breaking company, Ri Ri’s Dance Academy, Dr Ria served as casting director, cultural consultant and assistant director for Thunderstruck. This groundbreaking production featured 3D video mapping projection, enhancing its electrifying storytelling and dynamic choreography and movement direction by Dr Ria, creating a truly immersive experience for audiences, with an incredible 5 star review, from an anonymous reviewer.
Sue & Sita
Who would have thought a kite festival could change your life? It certainly came as a surprise to Sue whose magical journey into a classic Indian tale dating back hundreds of years revealed as much about herself as about historic Indian culture. She is amazed to find that she has more in common with the goddess Sita, than she would have thought.
‘Sue & Sita’ uses puppetry, shadow theatre, and dance to celebrate identity and heritage.
This show is suitable for children aged 8+ and their families.
Dr Ria was the casting director, concept creator, co-writer, cultural consultant, and director of Sue & Sita, inviting co-writer, including Louise Wallwein MBE, to collaborate on this magical production. Directed, choreographed, and led by Dr Ria as Movement Director under Ri Ri’s Dance Academy, the show utilised shadow theatre and puppetry alongside Indian-inspired cultural themes to explore identity and heritage. With its interactive format, children and families were immersed in the performance, joining in on the vibrant storytelling and Bollywood dance elements.
The Dancing Elephant
Experience the blend of both the real and virtual environments, as we join Mahi transported into a video game, by magical Moon, Chand. Landing at the Elephant Festival of Jaipur, Mahi meets her companion, The Dancing Elephant. Together they undertake a journey through the mystic video game to unlock
three levels to return home. Will they achieve this or will Mahi be locked in the game forever?
The storytelling is enhanced with sand art animation to represent mother earth, the Elephant Festival of Jaipur, Holi Festival and back projection technology.
Suitable for children aged 6-13 and their families.
As casting director, concept creator, cultural consultant, director, and playwright for The Dancing Elephant, Dr Ria invited co-writer, Stephanie Kemp, to contribute to this dynamic production. Directed, choreographed, and led by Dr Ria as Movement Director under Ri Ri’s Dance Academy, the show featured the beautiful Indian classical dance form of Bharatanatyam and featured back projection and sand art animation to enhance its Indian-inspired narrative, and storytelling. The interactive performance encouraged children and families to actively engage, blending tradition with technological innovation and Bollywood-style dance sequences.
Chitra
Chitra is an one-act adaptation of a dance drama by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Chitra, the play’s heroine, is the archetypal example of Tagore’s advocacy of women’s liberty.
Suitable for audiences aged 13+ and adults.
Presented under the banner of Manoranjan CIC, Chitra was part of a Research and Development (R&D) initiative. As casting director, concept creator, cultural consultant, director (mentored by theatre director Jude Christian), and playwright (mentored by playwright Dipali Das), Ria worked alongside her hand-picked team to explore themes of love, transformation, and self-discovery inspired by Rabindranath Tagore’s poetic masterpiece, Chitrangada. This project blended Indian classical dance forms with modern theatrical techniques, maintaining authenticity to cultural heritage.
Dancers Casting for Hollyoaks
Dr Ria’s expertise as casting director and cultural consultant extends to television, including her work with the popular British soap opera Hollyoaks. During her time as a choreographer and movement director for three wedding scenes, in 2022, she was invited to, additionally, cast the dancers who would feature as supporting artists, whilst choosing the music for the wedding scene. Due to the incredible success of these dance scenes, and intrigue from viewers, Dr Ria was subsequently invited to film a behind the scenes choreographer’s commentary, on location, in which she unravelled her choreographic process in alignment with the vision of the storyline. The Instagram reel of her insights reached over 80,000 views!
Her ability to identify and nurture talent ensures the show’s performances remain dynamic and engaging, while Bollywood-inspired dance elements and cultural authenticity add to its unique charm.
Dr Ria Meera Munshi’s journey in the arts is a testament to her passion, creativity, and commitment to excellence. Her projects celebrate the vibrant tapestry of South Asian culture while embodying her signature style of being colourful, interactive, and enriched with Indian dance interactions. Whether casting for productions, creating groundbreaking concepts, directing captivating shows, or writing compelling plays, her work continues to inspire and elevate the world of theatre and television.