Bangladesh Theater of Arizona is an educational, cultural, and charitable organization. The goal of this organization is to promote awareness among an immigrant community, especially their progenies to seek out the rich cultural heritage, histories of their ancestors through diversified activities. Using a bilingual method of engagement, Bangladesh Theater of Arizona (BTA) encourages its members and students to establish for themselves firm self-identities and altruistic personalities.
On February 6, 1999, with the staging of the play Ambiar Biya, Bangladesh Theatre of Arizona (BTA) began its journey. The immense popularity of Ambiar Biya inspired BTA to continue producing plays, and since then, the organization has staged many of Bangladesh’s most beloved and audience-acclaimed dramas every year.
In 2002, BTA was registered in Arizona as a nonprofit charitable organization, and in 2003 it was incorporated under IRS section 501(c)(3). Alongside theatrical productions, BTA has also created two documentaries highlighting Bangladesh’s identity and history, and publishes an annual literary magazine Shiri, which makes a significant contribution to the practice of Bengali literature among the Bangladeshi diaspora.
In 2003, under BTA’s initiative, Shikor Bangla School was established. For nearly two decades, it has played a vital role in teaching the Bengali language and culture to second-generation Bangladeshi children and youth in Arizona. Over the years, BTA has also organized captivating cultural programs and plays featuring these young performers, which have received wide acclaim from audiences.