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RAJIKA PURI in DEVI-MALIKA January 17-20, 2008
    
ONE-WOMAN DANCED STORYTELLING SHOW OFF BROADWAY
at The Duke on 42nd StreetSM, a New 42nd Street® project
Thu-Fri-Sat JANUARY 17-18-19 @ 8pm, Sun JANUARY 20 @ 3pm
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Internationally acclaimed performer RAJIKA PURI brings to life a garland of goddesses in a one-woman show of danced, sung, and narrated storytelling at the
Duke on 42nd StreetSM, a New 42nd Street® project,
January 17th thru January 19th at 8 pm, and January 20th at 3 pm.
Tickets are $40, $25 general admission and $20 Senior/Students.
Box Office: 646-223-3010 or on-line: www.dukeon42.org
DEVI-MALIKA is about powerful women – heroines and life forces – whose very names represent ideals of womanhood in India: Parvati, Savitri, Radha, Sati . . . Ms. Puri presents each legend in a different blend of movement, song, story-telling and visuals. Eric Fraser accompanies her on the Indian bamboo flute; Shane Shanahan (a member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble) plays a range of percussion instruments. Light design is by Barry Steele; Grammy award winning Frank Wolf is sound consultant. The whole is directed by Yuval Sharon (known for his ground-breaking opera productions: Aida and Die Meistersinger) who also designed the visuals - as in previous collaborations with Ms Puri: Union/Severed (Asia Society) and Conversations with Shiva (Joyce SoHo).
The production represents a rare occasion to see traditional south Asian dance-theater in an Off Broadway house. Moreover, Ms Puri is the only classically trained Indian dancer to accompany herself vocally while she dances - something she developed since working with Elliot Goldenthal and Julie Taymor in The Transposed Heads (Lincoln Center Theater). English narrations intersperse Sanskrit songs and chants, making the work more accessible to people who don't understand ancient Indian languages or the finer subtleties of the Indian classical dance.
"I hope to attract a wider audience of dancers, actors, and regular theatre goers," says Rajika Puri, "but most especially students of the performing arts - hence the low ticket prices."
Rajika Puri, trained in both Bharatanatyam and Odissi, has performed in solo recitals all over the US, Europe, Latin America and India. Her familiarity with western classical music, ballet, modern dance and flamenco has led to cross-cultural collaborations: Flamenco Natyam (Works & Process at the Guggenheim, India tour), Bharatanatyam Variations and Bach-Bharatanatyam Variations, and Another Country with singer Nora York. Active in western theater, Ms. Puri has worked not only with Ms Taymor but also Joanne Akalaitis (Cymbeline-NY Shakespeare Festival), Liviu Ciulei (The Bacchae-Guthrie Theater), Carey Perloff (Phaedra Britannica-Classic Stage Company) and Ron Daniels (Macbeth-Theatre for a New Audience), among others. In film she has been directed by Mira Nair Mississippi Masala), Norman Renee (Longtime Companion) and Danny Leiner (Great New Wonderful).
For More informtion: Michelle A. Pascal /MAP Unlimited 212-234-1995 mapunlimited@aol.com |
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