top of page
"...Insomnia Is Funny, Important, Timely, and You Should Watch It"
Media
SEASON One
Excusively on
TRAILERS, TEASERS, AND EXTRAS
Trailers, Teasers, and Extras
About The Show
ABOUT THE SHOW
INSOMNIA is a new dark comedy series about Nikhil - a queer, Indian American going through an identity crisis. When his aunt's medical bills begin to pile up, a chance encounter with a stranger introduces him to the world of escorting. Through these adventures, he explores his sexuality, experiences euphoria, deals with racism, and suffers with loneliness - all while trying to get a good night's rest!
Mental Health. Sexuality. Racism. Stereotypes. Grief.
These issues intersect many people's identities and have been in the forefront of our contemporary world. INSOMNIA explores bisexuality, gender, the escort experience, and more, all which rarely enter mainstream conversations.
Cast
CAST AND CREW
Vishaal Reddy
Creator, Head Writer, & Playing Nikhil
Vishaal Reddy is an actor, writer, and producer from Tennessee and based in NYC. He received his undergraduate degree at Boston University, studying Business Administration and
Theater. He was recently selected as one of 2019 Tribeca Film Festival Creator N.O.W.
creators. Upon moving to NYC, he was a part of numerous Off-Broadway plays and musicals,
while also delving into the television/film world. His recent credits include The Punisher, Bull, and Big Dogs. Feeling frustrated with the industry's portrayal of Indian characters, he started writing and producing his own screenplays and sketches. His ultimate goal is to use Insomnia
as a platform to launch a production company, focusing on the stories of Asian Americans and people in the LGBTQ community
Vishaal Reddy is an actor, writer, and producer from Tennessee and based in NYC. He received his undergraduate degree at Boston University, studying Business Administration and
Theater. He was recently selected as one of 2019 Tribeca Film Festival Creator N.O.W.
creators. Upon moving to NYC, he was a part of numerous Off-Broadway plays and musicals,
while also delving into the television/film world. His recent credits include The Punisher, Bull, and Big Dogs. Feeling frustrated with the industry's portrayal of Indian characters, he started writing and producing his own screenplays and sketches. His ultimate goal is to use Insomnia
as a platform to launch a production company, focusing on the stories of Asian Americans and people in the LGBTQ community
Nikki Renee Daniels
Madam Linney
Nikki is an acclaimed Broadway actress and concert soloist. She is currently starring as
Angelica Schuyler in the Chicago company of Hamilton. Her Broadway credits include The Book of Mormon (Nabulungi) The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (Clara) LesMisérables (Fantine)
Anything Goes Promises Promises and Lestat. She recently played Martha Jefferson in 1776 at
Encores, and Rose Lennox in The Secret Garden at David Geffen Hall. She made her New
York City Opera debut as Clara in Porgy and Bess. She has been seen on TV in “Madam
Secretary” and “The Sound of Music: Live.” Nikki has performed as a soloist with symphony orchestras in Atlanta, San Francisco, Houston, Detroit, Omaha, Indianapolis, Edmonton, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, and at Carnegie Hall.
Nikki is an acclaimed Broadway actress and concert soloist. She is currently starring as
Angelica Schuyler in the Chicago company of Hamilton. Her Broadway credits include The Book of Mormon (Nabulungi) The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (Clara) LesMisérables (Fantine)
Anything Goes Promises Promises and Lestat. She recently played Martha Jefferson in 1776 at
Encores, and Rose Lennox in The Secret Garden at David Geffen Hall. She made her New
York City Opera debut as Clara in Porgy and Bess. She has been seen on TV in “Madam
Secretary” and “The Sound of Music: Live.” Nikki has performed as a soloist with symphony orchestras in Atlanta, San Francisco, Houston, Detroit, Omaha, Indianapolis, Edmonton, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, and at Carnegie Hall.
Aneesh Sheth
Kat
Ms. Aneesh Sheth is a singer, actress, producer, director, writer, and transgender activist. Born in Pune, India and relocating to the United States at an early age, she quickly found a passion
for music. After receiving her BFA at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts for Musical
Theatre, she enjoyed the tour life performing in various musicals including the Broadway
National Tour of A.R. Rahman's Bombay Dreams as Sweetie in 2006. Aneesh made her
network debut as a guest star on NBC's Thursday night sitcom Outsourced (2011) and has
since appeared in Hulu's Difficult People and HBO's High Maintenance. She also had a cameo
in IFC's A Kid Like Jake, alongside Jim Parsons. She currently recurs as "Lila" on NBC's
Tuesday night medical Drama, New Amsterdam. Along with her work in theatre, film, and
television, she is an event host, trans activist, panelist and committee member with many
national organizations. In March 2013, Advocate Magazine honored Aneesh Sheth on their 40 Under 40 List.
Ms. Aneesh Sheth is a singer, actress, producer, director, writer, and transgender activist. Born in Pune, India and relocating to the United States at an early age, she quickly found a passion
for music. After receiving her BFA at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts for Musical
Theatre, she enjoyed the tour life performing in various musicals including the Broadway
National Tour of A.R. Rahman's Bombay Dreams as Sweetie in 2006. Aneesh made her
network debut as a guest star on NBC's Thursday night sitcom Outsourced (2011) and has
since appeared in Hulu's Difficult People and HBO's High Maintenance. She also had a cameo
in IFC's A Kid Like Jake, alongside Jim Parsons. She currently recurs as "Lila" on NBC's
Tuesday night medical Drama, New Amsterdam. Along with her work in theatre, film, and
television, she is an event host, trans activist, panelist and committee member with many
national organizations. In March 2013, Advocate Magazine honored Aneesh Sheth on their 40 Under 40 List.
Cheech Manahar
Savan
Cheech Manohar is a recent Syracuse Drama graduate and made his Broadway Debut in Mean
Girls. His regional credits include: Mean Girls at the National Theatre, West Side Story at Finger
Lakes Musical Theatre Festival, and Marry Poppins at Syracuse Stage. Cheech is also a trained
Bollywood dancer, and has taught Bollywood fusion workshops all over.
Cheech Manohar is a recent Syracuse Drama graduate and made his Broadway Debut in Mean
Girls. His regional credits include: Mean Girls at the National Theatre, West Side Story at Finger
Lakes Musical Theatre Festival, and Marry Poppins at Syracuse Stage. Cheech is also a trained
Bollywood dancer, and has taught Bollywood fusion workshops all over.
Alison Barton
Lila
Alison Barton has had featured roles in shows on Hulu, MTV & ABC, national tours,
off-broadway plays, multiple national commercials. You can catch her in season two of "Master of None" and on the Netflix series "Friends from College." Alison is an accomplished writer, who
pilot project “Granted” was selected to be a part of the New York Television Festival. She graduated with her BFA in Drama from UCONN. http://www.hialisonbarton.com
Alison Barton has had featured roles in shows on Hulu, MTV & ABC, national tours,
off-broadway plays, multiple national commercials. You can catch her in season two of "Master of None" and on the Netflix series "Friends from College." Alison is an accomplished writer, who
pilot project “Granted” was selected to be a part of the New York Television Festival. She graduated with her BFA in Drama from UCONN. http://www.hialisonbarton.com
Verma Kuhoo
Leela
Kuhoo Verma is a recent graduate of New York University and concentrated in Vocal Performance. She was recently seen in the Academy Award nominated film The Big Sick,
starring Kumail Nanjiani and Holly Hunter. Additionally, she was featured in the stage adaptation of Monsoon Wedding and is currently a cast member of a new musical, Octet, premiering at Signature Theatre in NYC.
Kuhoo Verma is a recent graduate of New York University and concentrated in Vocal Performance. She was recently seen in the Academy Award nominated film The Big Sick,
starring Kumail Nanjiani and Holly Hunter. Additionally, she was featured in the stage adaptation of Monsoon Wedding and is currently a cast member of a new musical, Octet, premiering at Signature Theatre in NYC.
Nandita Shenoy
Meera
Nandita Shenoy is an actor-writer who lives in New York City.
As an actor, Nandita was most recently seen in the Off-Off-Broadway production of Adam Szymkowicz's play, Marian, or the True tale of Robin Hood at the New Ohio Theater produced by Flux Theatre Ensemble. Prior to that, she starred in the Off-Broadway Production of her own play, Washer/Dryer. She has also been a part of the World Premier casts of Trouble Cometh by Richard Dresser at the San Francisco Playhouse and of Some Other Kind of Person by Eric Pfeffinger at Philadelphia's InterAct Theater. She was a member of the Repertory Company of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival for a season where she played the roles of "Ursula" in Much Ado About Nothing, "Miss Poppenghul" in Moonlight and Magnolias, and "Lucius" in Julius Caesar. She can also be seen in national commercials for IBM, GoDaddy, and HP.
Nandita's latest full-length play, Satisfaction, was presented as part of the "Main Stage Live" program at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Her last play, Washer/Dryer, had its Off-Broadway premier at Theatre Row in February 2016, produced by Ma-Yi Theater. Washer/Dryer received its World Premier at EastWest Players in February 2015 as a part of their 50th Anniversary Season. Her one-acts Marrying Nandini, By Popular Demand, Rules of Engagement, and A More Perfect Date have received full productions in New York City from Green Light Productions, New Perspectives Theater, New Ground Collective, and Eating Theater respectively. She is also the recipient of the 2014 Father Hamblin One Act Commission Prize from the Abingdon Theater. Nandita’s plays have been read at the Kennedy Center, the Asian American Writers’ Workshop, Second Generation, Salaam Theater, the Bleecker Street Theater, The Lark Play Development Center, and by the Red Harlem Readers.
In addition to creating theater, Nandita is an advocate for diversity in the theater and sits on the Steering Committee of the Asian American Performers Action Coalition and is a member of the advisory board of the Bingham Camp Theatre Retreat, a development space for musical theater. She has also been a participant of the South Asian Theater Arts Movement.
Nandita holds a BA from Yale University in English literature with a distinction in the major. She is a member of the Ma-Yi Writers' Lab, the Dramatists Guild, and the Lincoln Center Directors Lab.
Nandita Shenoy is an actor-writer who lives in New York City.
As an actor, Nandita was most recently seen in the Off-Off-Broadway production of Adam Szymkowicz's play, Marian, or the True tale of Robin Hood at the New Ohio Theater produced by Flux Theatre Ensemble. Prior to that, she starred in the Off-Broadway Production of her own play, Washer/Dryer. She has also been a part of the World Premier casts of Trouble Cometh by Richard Dresser at the San Francisco Playhouse and of Some Other Kind of Person by Eric Pfeffinger at Philadelphia's InterAct Theater. She was a member of the Repertory Company of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival for a season where she played the roles of "Ursula" in Much Ado About Nothing, "Miss Poppenghul" in Moonlight and Magnolias, and "Lucius" in Julius Caesar. She can also be seen in national commercials for IBM, GoDaddy, and HP.
Nandita's latest full-length play, Satisfaction, was presented as part of the "Main Stage Live" program at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Her last play, Washer/Dryer, had its Off-Broadway premier at Theatre Row in February 2016, produced by Ma-Yi Theater. Washer/Dryer received its World Premier at EastWest Players in February 2015 as a part of their 50th Anniversary Season. Her one-acts Marrying Nandini, By Popular Demand, Rules of Engagement, and A More Perfect Date have received full productions in New York City from Green Light Productions, New Perspectives Theater, New Ground Collective, and Eating Theater respectively. She is also the recipient of the 2014 Father Hamblin One Act Commission Prize from the Abingdon Theater. Nandita’s plays have been read at the Kennedy Center, the Asian American Writers’ Workshop, Second Generation, Salaam Theater, the Bleecker Street Theater, The Lark Play Development Center, and by the Red Harlem Readers.
In addition to creating theater, Nandita is an advocate for diversity in the theater and sits on the Steering Committee of the Asian American Performers Action Coalition and is a member of the advisory board of the Bingham Camp Theatre Retreat, a development space for musical theater. She has also been a participant of the South Asian Theater Arts Movement.
Nandita holds a BA from Yale University in English literature with a distinction in the major. She is a member of the Ma-Yi Writers' Lab, the Dramatists Guild, and the Lincoln Center Directors Lab.
Jason Veasey
Don
Jason Veasey is currently in rehearsal for the world premiere musical “A Strange Loop at
Playwright’s Horizons.” Past credits include the Broadway and National touring companies of
The Lion King. Off Broadway credits at The Public,
Jason Veasey is currently in rehearsal for the world premiere musical “A Strange Loop at
Playwright’s Horizons.” Past credits include the Broadway and National touring companies of
The Lion King. Off Broadway credits at The Public,