No One Plays Badminton in America

by Ankita Raturi

2009 - Citra and Melati are highly ranked youth badminton players, ready to represent Indonesia internationally. But while Melati starts traveling to play in major junior tournaments on her own, Citra immigrates with her family to Washington D.C. where she has to give up her dreams of becoming the next Susi Susanti. They both have what the other wants – Citra has her family and all the opportunities America has...

2009 - Citra and Melati are highly ranked youth badminton players, ready to represent Indonesia internationally. But while Melati starts traveling to play in major junior tournaments on her own, Citra immigrates with her family to Washington D.C. where she has to give up her dreams of becoming the next Susi Susanti. They both have what the other wants – Citra has her family and all the opportunities America has to offer, just not badminton; meanwhile Melati is on the path to playing professionally and representing Indonesia on the global stage, but she feels alone. Citra's new friends in D.C. and Melati's on the international badminton circuit are played by the same actors, creating mirrored worlds where these two young athletes grapple with what they really want from life. The play toggles between both girls’ experiences and asks big questions about the costs of national pride, familial expectations, and what it means to figure out who you are away from where you’re from.

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No One Plays Badminton in America

Recommended by

  • Playwrights Foundation: No One Plays Badminton in America by Ankita Raturi
    “

    The Playwrights Foundation literary council advanced No One Plays Badminton In America as a finalist for the 47th Bay Area Playwrights Festival.

    We responded strongly to the friendship at the core of this script, which is beautifully rendered in Indonesian, English, and in moments of breathtaking physicality. There is a kinetic quality to this script; we are eager to see it realized on stage.

    We hope this play finds dedicated collaborators in its journey towards production.

    The Playwrights Foundation literary council advanced No One Plays Badminton In America as a finalist for the 47th Bay Area Playwrights Festival.

    We responded strongly to the friendship at the core of this script, which is beautifully rendered in Indonesian, English, and in moments of breathtaking physicality. There is a kinetic quality to this script; we are eager to see it realized on stage.

    We hope this play finds dedicated collaborators in its journey towards production.

    ”
  • Shaun Leisher: No One Plays Badminton in America by Ankita Raturi
    “

    l really enjoyed this play. It's a play about young women finding out who they are outside of the sport that has defined them for so long. I really want to see this play produced. Fast-paced and exciting with lots of room for theatrical magic.

    l really enjoyed this play. It's a play about young women finding out who they are outside of the sport that has defined them for so long. I really want to see this play produced. Fast-paced and exciting with lots of room for theatrical magic.

    ”

Character Information

Cast bilingual, bicultural actors who can sound local as each character they play.
  • Citra
    A nationally ranked badminton player
    17
    Indonesian
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Melati
    A nationally ranked badminton player
    16
    Indonesian
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Pak Jojo / Coach Q
    Pak Jojo and Coach Q are played by the same actor. Pak Jojo is Indonesian, middle-aged, Citra and Melati's coach in Jakarta. Coach Q is Asian-American, middle-aged, varsity girls' basketball coach in D.C. 
    Indonesian
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man,
      Non-binary
  • Nayna / Tisha
    Played by the same actor. Nayna is Indian, seventeen, a nationally ranked badminton player. Tisha is Indian-American, seventeen, a high school varsity basketball player 
    16 - 18
    Indian
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Jae Min / Michael
    Jae Min is South Korean, sixteen, a nationally ranked badminton player. Michael is Korean-American, sixteen.
    16 - 18
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Voiceovers
    These can be pre-recorded. Several of these voiceovers are in Bahasa Indonesia. Most of these should be voiced by Indonesian actors.

    ÁRBITRO, the referee in Barcelona
    MARY CARILLO, an Olympics commentator
    PAK POCARI, a voice in a Pocari Sweat radio ad
    ANAK POCARI, a voice in a Pocari Sweat radio ad
    IBU SINGAPORE, a Singapore Airlines flight attendant
    PAK GARUDA, a Garuda Airlines flight attendant
    PENGADIL, the referee in Kuala Lumpur
    MBAK ION, a voice in a Pocari Sweat television ad
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American

Development History

Awards