Play · USA
When It Hurts You Play
Theater86
Monday, 26 October 2026 · 5:30 PM
Sri Sri Madhavadeva International Auditorium, Guwahati
Sunday, 1 November 2026 · 5:30 PM
Makum, Tinsukia
Duration
55 minutes
Language
English
Credits
Director
Aleksey Burago
Author and actress
Danijela Popovic
Producer
Di Zhu, Artistic Director, Theater86
About the group
The production is centred on Serbian-American pianist and actress Danijela Popovic, who is the author and performer of When It Hurts You Play. She brings together music and storytelling drawn from lived experience, shaping the work through emotional honesty, technical skill and personal reflection. Aleksey Burago directs the production, balancing intimacy, rhythm and theatrical structure. Di Zhu, producer of the work and Artistic Director of Theater86, supports its development from concept to stage, helping realise its distinctive fusion of theatre and live music.
About the play
When It Hurts You Play is a poignant one-woman piano performance by Serbian-American pianist and actress Danijela Popovic. Blending virtuosic live music with intimate storytelling, the work traces a woman’s journey from growing up under a communist regime to rebuilding her life on another continent. Through loneliness, loss and love, she finds refuge in the piano, which becomes both companion and lifeline. The production combines theatre and concert performance to explore resilience, self-discovery and the healing power of art.
Director’s note
When It Hurts You Play is a deeply personal exploration of survival through art. At its core, the piece is about finding refuge when the world feels unstable and discovering how creativity can become a lifeline. By blending live piano performance with intimate storytelling, the production invites the audience into a life shaped by displacement, loss and resilience. The piano is not simply an instrument onstage, but a constant companion and witness. The work seeks to create an honest, unguarded space where music and memory intertwine, revealing the quiet, transformative power of art to heal and connect.
Delegate pass · ₹100 per day
Entry to the evening performances is by delegate pass. Each pass costs ₹100 for one day and is available at the counter at the venue.
