Kalapriya presents AHAM SITA: I am Sita
Conceived and directed by Gowri Ramnarayana
A Justus Repertory Production from India
A blend of poetry, music, dance and theatre!
Sita – a powerful metaphor in Indian culture, is revered as the perfect wife, steadfastly faithful to her husband Rama, the prince of Ayodhya. A blend of dance, music, poetry and the spoken word, Aham Sita, frames 5 crucial moments in the life of this epic woman. As Sita tells her story, we also hear voices of other women from the Ramayana, Urmila, Ahalya, Mandodari, counterpointing Sita's saga.
Playwright and theatre director Gowri Ramnarayan reprises her multi-form, multi-disciplinary multilingual formula with original music, new and old verses and a fresh script that locates Sita in decisive scenes from the Ramayana. She looks to the classics and contemporary poets to discover what makes the magic of Sita work; why does she continue to capture the collective imagination of a civilization?
Vidhya Subramanian, Bharatnatyam artiste and choreographer, essays Ramnarayan’s Sita, with color and grace. Abhinaya from the Bharatanatyam lexis and English dialogues combine in the visualization of Sita as a proud woman capable of holding her own in the face of adversity. The dance portions provide energy and sensual elements necessary for the idiom while the dialogues emphasize the resolute spirit of the princess of Mithila. Is Sita the body, or is Sita the mind? Immerse yourself in this evocative journey of the universality of women.
Script, Direction and Music Design:
Gowri Ramnarayana
Dance and Choreography:
Vidhya Subramaniam
