While tariff wars take shape, artists are getting more united across the globe. Stephen Fife, who has authored more than ten books on theatre, has written extensively for New York Times, is in Mumbai and is doing the world premiere of his play, THE KEEPER, on the life and times of Vincent Van Gogh. The play at Veda Kunba soon turned into a spectacle with Tracy Ann Chapel, an American actor using her contacts in Mumbai to make it happen. She got in touch with Tarun Agarwal, organizer of the popular Outsiders Film Festival. Fife’s world premiere play has turned into literary event of sorts with a poetry session, a panel discussion, a book reading being put by BIG BAD IDEA.
“I am overwhelmed by the support I have received from all quarters. My hope has been to get together a quartet of talented actors and stage a premiere of my new play that will reach the hearts and minds of the audiences in Mumbai. The team of actors and designers and tech experts has far exceeded my expectations. I am so excited to see it take shape in front of my eyes!” –Stephen Fife
“Steve (Stephen Fife) has shown some courage and has guts for his play’s premier performance here in India.” – says Tracy Ann Chapel, who has enabled the event at many levels.
“I think the audience are in for a treat as they get to watch a play with great nuance by Stephen Fife. As an Indian organizer, we like masala and we have lots of it – I thank all our poetry performers, panellists and special guests who have taken time off to make it a mix of American excellence and loads of Indian spice.” – Tarun Agarwal, founder, Big Bad Idea.
THE KEEPER tells the story of the unlikely people and events that came together to create some of the greatest masterpieces that the world has ever seen – painted by Vincent van Gogh, who in turn was supported by his brother Theo, whose wife Johanna ultimately made it possible for the world to see Vincent’s work. Was it destiny or was it chance that gave birth to these paintings that have imprinted themselves on human consciousness and changed the way we view the world?
THE KEEPER builds upon Mr. Fife’s previous play about the van Gogh family, Break of Day, published by Samuel French/Concord Theatricals in 2009, after an extended run in Hollywood. Mr. Fife has written three additional plays about Vincent van Gogh – his spiritual and artistic journey, and the various mythologies these have spawned. In all of them, Mr. Fife explores the central paradoxes of van Gogh’s art and life – not just how a man who sold one painting in his lifetime has become perhaps the most popular artist in the world, but also how an artist who just wanted to live a normal life has become the ultimate outsider, with the madness that caused him such shame now celebrated as the source of his genius.
THE KEEPER will be produced at the Veda Kunba Theatre in Cinta Towers, Vikram Gokhale Road, Four Bungalows, Andheri West 400053. Performances are scheduled for Thursday September 18 at 8 pm, Friday September 19 at 5 and 8 pm. Contact: +91 765 409 4768. The producer is Tracy Williams of Chapel Film Productions Studio. The Cast: Shawn Andrews (Vincent), Justin Nisly (Theo), Monnica Bae (Johanna), Elena Date (Sien). Lighting Designer: Bankaj G., Stage Manager: Vivek Tiwari. Writer and Director: Stephen Fife.
A graduate of Columbia University’s School of the Arts (MFA), Stephen has written several original screenplays and streaming series as well as film adaptations of his plays Savage World, Blue Kiss, Mickey’s Home, and of his musicals Charming, Young Forever, and Isabella in Oz. His script Sizzle Sizzle won the Grand Prize for Best Screenplay at the Silicon Beach Film Festival and has been greenlit for production in early 2026. He is also attached to a film project about a notorious crime that occurred during the Los Angeles Olympics of 1984.
Stephen Fife has had 13 books published (including 3 playscripts by Samuel French/Concord Theatricals) and has written for The New York Times “Arts and Leisure” section, The Village Voice, American Theatre, New Republic and Stage Raw (LA). He is the recipient of a Federal Writing grant and has had many plays and musicals produced.
Following is the full schedule of the event.
Event Schedule:
4.30 pm – Poetry: Jasmine Babbar, J Brandon Hill, Karina Pandya, Tracy Ann Chapel, Satish Purohit & more.
5.30 pm – Reading from Stephen Fife’s book on theatre.
6.00 pm – Panel: *“India & USA: Can Art Unite?” with Inaamulhaq, Hari Maa Priyanka, Stephen Fife, Tracy Ann Chapel. Moderator: Tarun Agarwal.*
7.30 pm – Introduction of collaborators & guests.
8.00 pm – Play *The Keeper* (on Van Gogh), starring Monnica Bae, Justin Nisly, Elena Date, Shawn Andrews. Written & directed by Stephen Fife.
9.30 pm – Q\&A.
Entry fee? “The event is not exclusive for anyone, it is inclusive of all. No entry fee or RSVP is required. Just come in and help the world be more united.”, says one of the lines in their invitation.
