by Geoffrey Paddy Johnson on January 26, 2012
- John Sowle in Horripilation!
/ Photo by Steven Patterson
The writer and performer of Horripilation!, John Sowle, is unquestionably a shining light in the fields of research and preservation of obscure global theatrical traditions, as well as being an imposing performative figure in the relating and embodiment of these same traditions. In 1973, with a Fulbright fellowship to research a doctoral thesis in dramatic art, he spent time at the Kerala Kalamandalam in southern India, where he was obliged to rise each morning at 3 a.m. in order to begin his day’s grueling training in traditional dance movement and actorly craft. Kept on his feet for hours at a time, in a highly repetitive form of dance stepping, his relief would come finally in the form of a massage administered by his teacher (asan), who would walk up and down his back while he lay in a formally controlled position. It should come as no surprise that classical traditions of drama and dance, wherever they originate, involved a regimen of severe physical hardship and mental discipline, but the sharing of these events in the performance by Mr. Sowle, as he reproduces the exercises nearly forty years later, is quite something to witness.
Continue Reading…
Related Posts:
by The Happiest Medium on January 18, 2012
HORRIPILATION!
Kaliyuga Arts
Written and performed by John Sowle
Director: Steven Patterson
This stunning work combines the Natya Shastra, a remarkably refined and elaborately detailed pre-Christian theatre text from India, with Teyyam, a primitive South India ritual, to create a work that “plunges audiences into a dazzling realm of color and movement, virtually unknown in the West but filled with amazing insights and invaluable lessons for all those who treasure theatre.”
Show Times:
- Mon 1/16 @ 6:30pm
- Thu 1/19 @ 10:00pm
- Sat 1/21 @ 8:00pm
Answers by Steven Patterson, director
Karen Tortora-Lee’s Question
This is an international festival. What part of the world are you coming from … and will your show tantalize the NYC audience with a taste of your nation’s culture?
Steven Patterson: Our production company, Kaliyuga Arts, is currently based in Catskill, NY, approximately 2 hours north of Manhattan, although our production itself concerns a westerner’s encounter with the practices of an ancient (but still living) Indian theater tradition. It therefore offers NY audiences an opportunity to view the basics of an art-form and a culture with which they may be totally unfamiliar in an accessible, entertaining, and audience-friendly format.
Continue Reading…
Related Posts:
by Karen Tortora-Lee on January 16, 2012
There’s a great independent festival kicking off tonight – right in the heart of the theatre district at the Roy Arias Studios & Theaters. What makes The Times Square International Theater Festival special is two things – one, it’s an international festival which means there will be a great range of talents from all over reflecting cultures from around the world. The second thing is that The Happiest Medium is the proud sponsor of this festival! In the coming week we’ll bring you Q&As with each of the production teams to get you excited about the shows, and we’ll review as many as we can get to! In the mean time, check out the full schedule here:
SEASONS
Two Classy Broads
Writer: Katie Hammond and Elaine Pechacek | Director: Danny Williams
Spanning the course of one year, SEASONS is a story about love. This original musical delves into the lives of two couples Poignant and touching, this story explores the characters with humor and realism, and will leave the audience wanting more.
This will be the first time the full musical has been staged.
Run time: 90 min | Country: USA | Genre: Musical
Website: www.pechacekhammond.com
Venue: Stage IV, Roy Arias Studios and Theaters
Time: Mon 16@9:30pm Thurs 19th@8:00pm Sat 21st@5:30pm
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS
Continue Reading…
Related Posts:
