IU Alumni in NYC | Behind the Scenes with Shanta Thake and Arian Moayed

Join us Monday, Oct. 30, 2023, for an inspirational evening with two IU alums who have scaled great heights within New York City’s entertainment industry—Shanta Thake, BA’02, chief artistic officer at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and Emmy- and Tony-nominated actor, Arian Moayed, BA’02.

Hosted at the vibrant and energetic NeueHouse Madison Square—a beacon for important and emerging cultural movements—Shanta Thake and Arian Moayed share stories of their time at Indiana University, the impact IU has had on their careers, and what it means to be cultural citizens of NYC.

The event is presented by the IU Alumni Association, along with the College of Arts and Sciences and the Well House Society.

Location:
NeueHouse Madison Square
110 E. 25th St.
New York, N.Y. 10010

Located within close proximity to the R & W trains (23rd Street), 6 train (23rd and 28th Street), F & M trains (23rd Street) and the PATH (23rd Street).

Program:
6–7 p.m. | Reception with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres
7–8:15 p.m. | Alumni introductions and discussion
8:15–9 p.m. | Reception, cocktails, and dessert

Cost:
Early-bird registration – $20 through Oct. 17
Standard registration – $30 after Oct. 17

Alumni Bios:

Arian Moayed is an Iranian-born, Emmy and Tony nominated actor, and co-Founder of Waterwell.

Waterwell is an award-winning community organizing art and education company in New York City that helped create 7 Minutes, The Courtroom, The Flores Exhibits, Hamlet, Blueprint Specials, Fleet Week Follies, Goodbar, The Persians, and many more. Waterwell Education is in residence at several New York City public schools, leading world-class theater education built on the ethos of “Artist as Citizen.” Arian has been a faculty member for over 15 years, teaching courses including Artist as Citizen and Senior Capstone.

As a writer/director, Arian created the Emmy-nominated The Accidental Wolf and The Courtroom. His current projects include 28 Mordad, The Great Fire of ‘33, Grandmaster, a film adaptation of The Man in Red, and an autobiography about his family’s escape from Iran.

Notable acting credits: Amy Herzog’s A Doll’s House (Tony nomination), Broadway's The Humans (Drama Desk Award), Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (Tony nomination), Guards at the Taj (Obie Award), Succession (Emmy nomination), Love Life (NAACP nomination), Spiderman: No Way Home (Marvel), Inventing Anna (Netflix), Ms. Marvel, and You Hurt My Feelings (A24).

Shanta Thake is the Ehrenkranz Chief Artistic Officer at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, where she spearheads all artistic and programming activities. Since her start in the Fall of 2021, Shanta has been key to Lincoln Center's ongoing efforts to ensure the arts are central to the civic life of the city—welcoming new audiences, championing genres historically underrepresented on campus, and ushering in accessible ticket models to break down cost barriers.

Known for her work across disciplines, Shanta leads a team of curators to bring exciting emerging and established artists to Lincoln Center’s indoor and outdoor stages, and spearheads multi-genre collaborations with Lincoln Center’s resident organizations.

Prior to Lincoln Center, Shanta held the position of Associate Artistic Director/Director of Artistic Programs at The Public Theater, overseeing the growth and development of Public Works, Mobile Unit, Under the Radar, Joe’s Pub, The Shakespeare Initiative and Public Forum. Previously, she spent 10 years as the Director of Joe’s Pub, the intimate cabaret venue which hosts over 700 shows annually.

Shanta is the co-director of GlobalFEST, North America’s world music festival, and in this role received the William Dawson award for Programmatic Excellence. She received a BA in theater as well as a degree in management from Indiana University and currently lives in Brooklyn.

Questions?

Contact Eric Hafner, IUAA Director of Market Engagement at ehafner@iu.edu or 812.855.2975.

Masks are now optional in the IU community and encouraged for those who may be more comfortable in public spaces.