Garam Masala Dating, the New York-based live comedy dating show co-created and hosted by comedians Surbhi and Wyatt Feegrado, is finalizing a 32-city international tour. The production team says the expansion follows four seasons and more than 40 sold-out performances. The planned route includes the United Kingdom, continental Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India, the United Arab Emirates and Bali, Indonesia. Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are among the cities identified in the tour plans. The team plans to cast local singles in each city, bringing different perspectives on dating and relationships to each stop on the tour.
The show brings two South Asian singles together for a blind date onstage in front of a live audience. Surbhi and Feegrado guide the conversation through questions, improvised comedy and audience participation. The participants’ first meeting forms the basis of the performance rather than a scripted storyline.
“People are now willing to try increasingly unconventional ways to meet, including a first date in front of hundreds of strangers,” said Surbhi, co-creator and host of Garam Masala Dating.
In outlining the expansion, Surbhi pointed to the expectations surrounding dating and marriage within South Asian communities. The show brings those questions into a public setting, where participants discuss what they are looking for in a partner and discover how their expectations compare with those of the person opposite them.
Garam Masala Dating is produced by Owen Tynes of Sony Music India who reports that clips from the show have attracted more than 200 million views online.
The international tour would extend the live format to additional audiences, with locally cast participants bringing their own experiences of dating to each performance.
