La MaMa To Present Stewart's 'The Raven' 6/12

La MaMa E.T.C. presents Ellen Stewart's new adaptation of THE RAVEN, an American-premiere musical based on the rarely seen play by 18th-century Italian writer Carlo Gozzi (TURANDOT, THE GREEN BIRD), featuring an international cast from the acclaimed Great Jones Repertory Company at La MaMa E.T.C. Annex (66 East 4th Street) in Manhattan, with previews beginning June 12, prior to an official press opening Sunday, June 15.

Adapted, composed, and directed by the legendary Ellen Stewart, THE RAVEN tells the story of King Milo who shoots a crow during a hunting expedition, then is placed under a horrific curse by the bird's owner. To be delivered from that curse he must find a woman who possesses special qualities.
 
Ellen Stewart has set Carlo Gozzi's tale of enchantment in China, transforming the work into a poetic new musical that blends the Venetian author's timeless fairytale with new elements inspired by the theatrical aesthetics of China: an original score composed by Ellen Stewart and Michael Sirotta, Heather Paawe, Yukio Tsuji and Cao Bao An, performed in Mandarin and English; text translation by Juliana Lau and Lu Yu; choreography by Lu Yu, Juliana Lau, Rob Laqui and Sinan Kajtazi; lighting design by Filippo de Capitani; video projections by Jeffrey Issac, Jan Klug, and Andrea Paciotto; puppets by Federico Restrepo; traditional native costumes from Shanghai, coordinated by Lu Yu and Ellen. Stewart.
 
This adaptation of THE RAVEN represents a continuation of La MaMa E.T.C. and The Great Jones Company's tradition of contemporary interpretations and adaptations of the classics. The production will retain the inimitable international flavor that is a trademark of Ellen Stewart's body of work at La MaMa, with a multi-ethnic cast consisting of over 25 artists from Colombia, Italy, Japan, Germany, China, Korea, Kosovo, Puerto Rico, Republic of Congo, Philippines, Taiwan, and the United States.
 
One of Venice's leading 18th-century writers, Carlo Gozzi (1720- 1806) is best known for his satirical fairytales, written originally for commedia dell'arte troupe whose initial productions emphasized the works' fantasy, magic, and special effects. His most famous works include TURANDOT and THE LOVE OF THREE ORANGES, which have been adapted respectively into often-performed operas by Giacomo Puccini and Sergei Prokofiev. Contemporary artists, most notably Ellen Stewart, Andrei Serban and Julie Taymor, recently have found inspiration in Gozzi's lesser-known stories, such as THE RAVEN, THE SERPENT WOMAN, and THE GREEN BIRD, respectively.
 
Ellen Stewart's reinterpretation of Gozzi's THE RAVEN is a tribute to the pioneering spirit of such local Asian-American troupes as Pan Asian Repertory and H.T. Chen & Dancers which had their beginnings in Chinatown La MaMa during the 1970s when artistic opportunities for Asian-Americans in New York City were very limited.
 
For more than four decades, Ellen Stewart has presented numerous adaptations of classics at La MaMa. In recent years, she and the Great Jones Repertory Company have presented an original adaptation based on William Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET and a world-premiere adaptation of the rarely staged Greek saga HERAKLES VIA PHAEDRA which The New York Times called "theater restored to its ritual communal origins." In 2004, La MaMa E.T.C. presented SEVEN -- a month-long festival including the world-premiere of Ms. Stewart's ANTIGONE, performed in repertory with revivals of six productions previously staged by Great Jones Repertory Company. In her New York Times review of ANTIGONE, Margo Jefferson proclaimed: "Ms. Stewart is one of Off-Broadway's great pioneers. And La MaMa is one of the few institutions that unfailingly welcomes theater that is experimental and international."
 
Under Ellen Stewart's guidance, La MaMa E.T.C. enjoys international recognition as the home for theatrical experimentation. La MaMa was one of the first Off-Off Broadway theatres to support full-time resident companies, and was one of the first Off-Off companies to tour Europe. La MaMa has been honored with numerous OBIE Awards, dozens of Drama Desk Awards, Bessie Awards and Villager Awards. In 2006, Ellen Stewart received a special Tony Award for supporting theatre artists of all nations and cultures in the development, production and presentation of new work.
 
Well-known names of the theatre for whom La MaMa was their first artistic home in the United States include Andrei Serban ("Fragments of a Greek Trilogy"); Jerzy Grotowski; Tadeusz Kantor (Cricot Theatre of Poland); Tom O'Horgan ("Hair"); Lee Breuer (Mabou Mines); Elizabeth Swados ("Runaways"); Tom Eyen ("Dreamgirls"); Mike Figgis ("Leaving Las Vegas"); Joel Zwick ("My Big; Fat Greek Wedding"); Harold Pinter (La MaMa was the first presenter of Mr. Pinter's work in the United States); and artists from Japan, Korea, Zaire, Ivory Coast, and countless other countries.
 
The company's heritage continues to grow with programs begun by Ellen Stewart in Umbria, Italy, where international understanding is promoted through cultural exchange. La MaMa Umbria has, in the past 16 years, presented nearly 30 theatre productions as well as workshops, art exhibitions, and conferences.
 
Poster and postcard design by Luba Lukova.
 
Ellen Stewart's production of THE RAVEN is suitable for families and children of all ages.
 
THE RAVEN runs June 12-29; Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2:30pm, with an additional performance Wednesday, June 25 at 7:30pm, at La MaMa E.T.C. Annex (66 East 4th Street). Tickets are $25 ($20 on June 12) and can be reserved by calling 212-475-7710 or online at www.lamama.org.

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