Tyrone Robinson (graduate-theatre arts) knows what it's like to be a victim of discrimination. He's been the target of racial slurs, including the N-word, at times.

"I've personally encountered racism," Robinson said.

It was those experiences that influenced him to select the play he used for his first-year Master of Fine Arts directing project, The Indian Wants the Bronx, which premieres at 8 p.m. Monday in the Pavilion Theatre.

The original script revolves around two white teenagers and their interaction with an East Indian man in New York City trying to find his way to the Bronx.

Robinson altered the original version, casting a black actor in place of one of the white teenagers but decided to keep the play's racial slurs intact.

"These are all choices I made as a result of being called the N-word in State College," he said.

After reading through plays for the assignment, Robinson was attracted to this work's political edge.

"It just really stuck out," he said. "It's a play about communicating and what happens when we don't communicate effectively."

Robinson's favorite part of the rehearsal process has been the actual rehearsing, and specifically collaborating with the actors.

Kshitij Deshmukh (graduate-mechanical engineering) plays the role of the Indian man. Because Deshmukh found few emotional similarities between himself and his character, he said Robinson's directing has been helpful.

Although Deshmukh is a graduate student studying mechanical engineering, he always possessed a love for theater growing up, and he's excited for the upcoming performance.

"This is a cultural experience," Deshmukh said. "It's about [our] society at the time. It's about who we are and where we come from."

Deshmukh also thinks the audience will empathize with the characters and see the whole play as "communication."

"There's so much to be absorbed from the play," he said. "It's important because it came out in 1968 before civil rights. It ties into the turbulent times of that time."

Edwyn Macelus (junior-information sciences and technology) plays the role of one of the teenagers, "Joey."

Macelus said the casting for this particular production is different because the characters come from three different races.

"It really says a lot about where acting is heading," Macelus said. "It allows the characters to learn more about the traditions and customs of one another."

Robinson echoed his cast member's sentiments.

"It's about people coming together and bridging the gaps. It speaks to multi-cultural ideology," he said. "We all need to listen to each other. We all have the possibility to come together and gain better understanding of each other."