The event, titled “A Night at the Reg — Bollywood Style” will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday and will feature Indian cuisine from the restaurant Fine Restaurant & Bar in Erie, Pa. There will be a complementary cocktail and a local Indian dance group from the Sukanya Burman Dance Company will perform and then also offer instructions after their performance for anyone interested. There will also be giveaways. All proceeds from that and the ticket sales will benefit the Reg.

Len Barry, director of marketing and communications for the Reg Lenna, said the fundraiser came about because of others done in the past.

“The board members for the last six or seven years have been doing small fundraisers like this based on or around certain holidays,” Barry said. “We’ve done things like Oct. 5 and Cinco De Mayo. We’re ready to get back to those now that the pandemic is over. We also have an Indian board member and ties to the Sukanya Burman Dance Company.”

The Sukanya Burman Dance Company was formed by Sukanya Burman in 2021. Founded locally in Jamestown, Burman works with local dance artists and businesses in Chautauqua County to provide professional Indian classic and modern dance forms. She also has a grant from New York state for choreography and has been working with others in Buffalo and New York City on said choreography.

Dancers Megan Stefanik, Lillian Ingrao, Grace Anderson and Alyzza Zuech of the Sukanya Burman Dance Company will perform Thursday during “A Night at the Reg — Bollywood Style” at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts. Photo courtesy Sukanya Burman

Burman said she decided to have her company help with the fundraiser because of the theme and the timing.

“The fundraiser is Indian-themed and it also happens to fall around Diwali, or the Indian Festival of Lights,” Burman said. “We have a number of Indian people in the area. This is a good opportunity to participate with the Reg and bring in a number of Indian dance forms.”

Burman said with her company’s performance a lot of people will be seeing something they never have before, as most often classic dance forms center around ballet, or more contemporary and modern dances. Her company will focus on Indian folk, classical, and Bollywood songs.

“No others in Chautauqua County do this,” Burman said. “There’s only one other in New York state. We are working to promote this culture in Jamestown. This is also our first time performing and doing a fundraiser.”

Burman said she hoped to do a lot more professional work in the future. Right now her company is set to help with the Jamestown Community College performance of “Heathers The Musical” and with more to come in 2023.

“Come check us out and see something you may not have seen before,” Burman said. “We want to bring more of this culture to the area and bring solidarity to this art form, along with diversifying this area.”

Barry said the Reg has done other cultural themed fundraisers in the past and hopes they will be able to again. The Reg Lenna is also looking forward to the 100th year of the theater next year, with a year long celebration event.

Barry said with fundraisers like this the Reg Lenna works to bring different cultures to the area that some might not have experienced before.

“Whenever we have a fundraiser like this we try to keep it culturally significant,” Barry said. “We want to provide people with new, rich experiences whenever and wherever we can.”

Tickets for “A Night at the Reg — Bollywood Style” are on sale now on reglenna.com. They are $40 presale and $45 at the door on Thursday night.