Born Under a Dancing Star
A World Theatre Day celebration and the personal triumph of making a one-woman, post-punk musical.
I was surfing in the creative liminal space of 2020 when I had a dream about a fictional, hell-bent pop star named “King Nigel.” I wondered who she was and where she came from. By January of 2022, I’d written, produced, and performed in the workshop of King Nigel’s Nervous Breakdown: An Original Post-Punk Musical. I crowdfunded the budget. I cast my performer friends as the many voices in King Nigel’s head. I hired the best stage crew through word of mouth. And when my friends and family came out to see the show, I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
The next phase was producing the LA premiere as part of Hollywood Fringe 2024. Missing props, a rain machine leak, and stiff competition from hundreds of other shows playing simultaneously didn’t hold us back. On World Theatre Day 2026, I offer a reflection on the most challenging and fulfilling project that I’ve created to date.
Where Did “King Nigel” Come From?
Finding my voice has been a lifelong struggle, both in writing and singing. But something big in me was dying to exist, so I set it free through the mask of King Nigel.
Before I started writing the show, I needed to alchemize a crushing amount of grief from the recent back to back loss of my father and grandmother. My Trinidadian grandmother had studied cosmetology at Charles of the Ritz in New York City in 1964, and I’ve always wondered what her fabulous life was like during that time. I wrote her into the script as King Nigel’s caring grandmother, a shop girl who ended up running a beauty empire. I loved adding these Caribbean cultural moments into the story, including a calypso interlude and mentioning a few favorite Trinidadian dishes (frybake and buljol, anyone?).
In the play, King Nigel tells us about her origins as an abandoned child who comes of age during New York City’s convergence of punk, post-punk, hard rock, rap, and funk: CBGB’s, 1979. She evolves into a popular, provocative post-punk singer who winds up institutionalized after a night of terrible decisions. The story begins as she’s trying to persuade her psychological captors to cut her loose.
I tried to imagine what my life would have been like if I was in King Nigel’s shoes in that incredibly vibrant era—a time and place that I have always wanted to experience. Thus, a full immersion in post-punk was necessary. So I built my own version of it, an NYC that I never knew, but happily “resided in” during the course of performing in this piece.
The Burgeoning Los Angeles Theatre Scene
I’m proud to be a part of this thriving crucible loaded with sharp talent who have plenty of crisp, unique stories to tell. This whole voyage has forced me to become a better artist by maxing out every skill that I could possibly possess. I threw everything I had into five nearly sold out dates. And I pulled through because of my team. With two numbers masterfully choreographed by Jasmine Ejan and Malia Baker, respectively, I gave the play life within my beloved LA theater community, who seriously showed up by filling those seats. The support was palpable and it was a total thrill to be a part of something culturally buzzing like Hollywood Fringe.
Favorite “King Nigel” Moments
Gazing out the window at the fluttering spring leaves after a long day, as the melody for “Window” suddenly arrives in my head. (Daydreaming is the answer, people!)
Hearing my sister in the audience audibly gasp and seeing her grab my brother’s shoulder just as the second number, “Window” began.
Rehearsing at Madilyn Clark Studios in Burbank. It’s wonderfully charming and old school. Support local businesses!
Giving my mother the Playbill with her name in it (she played the voice of King Nigel’s grandmother).
Making theater means breathing life into the things you care about. Including those we have lost to time.
I’m forever grateful to those who supported me and this project. I doubt this is the last time you’ll be seeing King Nigel grace the stage. She has quite a bright future ahead of her, dancing star that she is.
“XX Hex”
Here’s the dress rehearsal of “XX Hex” — a crowd favorite and King Nigel’s 1970s feminist punk anthem. It’s my favorite number to perform. The demo first aired on KXRY FM in 2022—my radio debut.
You can hear the latest demo version here: “XX Hex” Demo
Do it!
If you’re thinking about writing a one person show or something else bigger and scarier than what you’ve done before, consider this your sign to pick up that pen and launch that project. We need more personal, unique works out there. Let it be yours.
I wrote King Nigel for all the girls out there who feel like they are “different.” It’s okay to be you. Keep shining, and never let anyone dim your light.
—Satu
P.S.: Enjoy a short clip with a couple fun moments from the Los Angeles Premiere of King Nigel’s Nervous Breakdown at Hollywood Fringe 2024:
Celebrating you and your show from the Catskills! Thanks for sharing the clips. I wish you the best with it. Theater isn’t exactly thriving with innovation these days so my appreciation for you is double! Yeah we all have to go for it! Big applause!