Venue: 12005 Highway 64 E., Eads, TN 38028-9314 Phone: (901) 202-6070; WEB: www.icctmemphis.org
Kathakali, the Indian dance drama, will be performed by V. Kaladharan, K. Shanmukhan and K. Sukumaran, who will showcase India’s highly stylized classical dance drama. Kathakali combines dancing, acting, vocal music, percussion, and costumes in one art form, dating back to 17th century India. Kaladharan and Shanmukhan, will present selected scenes from prominent Kathakali plays; Kaladharan will explain the story and context, and then Shanmukhan will perform each scene. Sukumaran will present the costuming and makeup for the performance. There will also be a short Indian drumming recital, by the UALR Indian Percussion Ensemble and "Rasa and the Taste of Theatre" by David Mason, PhD, preceding the concert; at the same time, Sukumaran will be applying makeup to Shanmukhan in, a process open to the public and well worth watching.
Program Additional Details:
"Rasa and the Taste of Theatre" by David Mason, PhD, Chair of Theatre and Director of Asian Studies Rhodes College:
"Long before the development of Kathakali, the Natysashastra tried to tell us how to appreciate theatre. By cultivating sensitivity to all elements of theatrical performance, said the shastra, we might not only experience theatre in a deeper, more satisfying way, we might experience ourselves more deeply."
UALR Indian Percussion Ensemble by Dr.Rolf Groesbeck (Associate Professor of Music History and director of the Indian Percussion Ensemble at UALR), Mani Chidambaram and Ricky Tollett at University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR)