Alfred Molina and Pia Shah in The Father, Pasadena Playhouse, Ovation Nominated for Best Season 2020.

Alfred Molina and Pia Shah in The Father

 

Pia is a writer and actor living in Los Angeles. She won an Ovation Award for her work in The Father (best ensemble, opposite Alfred Molina) at Pasadena Playhouse (Tony Award winner, Best Regional Theater) as well as an Ovation nomination for best season. Film/TV acting credits include Room 104 (Duplass Brothers, HBO), Grey’s Anatomy and the fully improvised, arthouse stoner comedy Grass (Audience Award, Best Narrative Feature Austin Asian American Film Festival). She wrote, produced and starred in the short film The Shower (Jury Selection Best Short Film, South Asian Film Festival of America) centered on two best friends at a crossroads as one of them decides to have a baby and the other remains childfree. She was selected for the CTG LA Writer’s Workshop in which she wrote her first play, TEAR! (2023 O’Neill Semifinalist).

Her writing tends to explore small, private moments and daunting turning points that mark domestic life. In her screenplays, she focuses on neurotic relationships, family, modern anxieties and comedy.

Pia originated the role of Leela, a young woman on the spectrum, in ORANGE in the world premiere at South Coast Repertory. Her love of language and ensemble is the driving force in her theatrical work. She has workshopped over 100 new plays at labs such as the Ojai Playwrights Conference, the Geffen and Pacific Playwrights Festival. She earned an MFA in theater at USC and also attended the William Esper Studio in NYC. She began her media career funding independent filmmakers at the Center for Asian American Media, where she oversaw a grants program with CPB/PBS funds championing untold stories that went on to premier at POV, Independent Lens and Sundance Film Festival.

 
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THE SHOWER:

Writer, Actor, Producer

Maya’s baby shower brings her oldest friend June back into her life for a day of unexpected reckonings.

Jury Award Winner, Best Short Film at South Asian Film Festival of America, 2021.

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GRASS: Writer, Actor

Sundance alum Tanuj Chopra (show runner, Netflix’s Delhi Crime) reinvents stoner comedy with this Broad City-esque arthouse comedy. Acquired by Comedy Dynamics. Fully improvised feature film.

Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Austin International Asian American Film Festival, 2015

GRASS, written by Pia Shah, Emily C. Chang and Tanuj Chopra

 

REPRESENTATION

ANIMAL Federation, Theatrical

Adil Chamakh, Manager

CESD Talent Agency, Commercial

David Ziff & Juliana Castro

Atlas Talent Agency, Voiceover

Heather Dame