The Ballard Institute Presents RAMAYANA: A Tale of Trees and Wood

The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry is pleased to present Ramayana: A Tale of Trees and Wood on Tuesday, April 18 and Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at 7 p.m. in the Ballard Institute Theater, located at 1 Royce Circle in Downtown Storrs.

This original performance by UConn Puppet Arts under the direction of Professor Matthew Cohen and Rahul Koonathara draws on the traditions of tholpavakoothu (shadow puppetry performed in temples of the southern Indian state of Kerala) and wayang kulit (the popular shadow puppet theater of Java and Bali) along with live music and classical Indian dance. The production reimagines the epic from the perspective of the trees and wood - the contest for Sita as told by the bow that Rama breaks; the trees that are the companions of Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana in their forest exile; the logs used to build the causeway to Alengka; and the firewood set aflame to test Sita's fidelity. The production has been workshopped and developed in the Intercultural Ramayana Project, a Puppet Arts class taught as part of the University of Connecticut's university-wide initiative to explore the Tree of Life as a shared symbol in Judaism, Christianity and Islam through art exhibitions, walking tours, performances, and lectures. The performance will last approximately one hour. Immediately after the show, the audience is invited to "puppet time" to see the puppets up close and talk to performers. Recommended for ages 5+.