7:30 PM , Saturday, 28 November 2009
Orvis Auditorium, UH Mānoa
$12 general / $8 students & seniors

Javanese Wayang Kulit (Shadow Puppet Theatre)
Presented in cooperation with the Hawaii Gamelan Society

Directed by Byron Moon, UH Gamelan Ensemble
Emeritus Director: Hardja Susilo
Guest Artists: Widiyanto, dhalang (puppeteer) and Sutrisno Hartana (musician)

In the never ending feud between the Pendhawa and the Kurawa clan, the devious Kurawa Prime Minister, Sengkuni, manages to coerce the young innocent Pendhawa princes into placing their estate as a wager in a Kurawa sponsored fixed game of dice. Losing the game, the Pendhawa are exiled to the treacherous Mrentani forest. The Pendhawa’s attempt to open the forest to establish a dwelling place encounters fierce resistance from the genie, ghosts, and ghouls of the forest. With great effort the Pendhawa defeat the denizens of Mrentani, and establish a new prosperous state of Amarta.

Master puppeteer Widiyanto joins the UH Gamelan Ensemble to present a wayang kulit performance in celebration of the 75th birthday of the ensemble’s founding director, Hardja Susilo. As a concession to western audiences, the performance time will be reduced in length to around two hours from the traditional eight. The story will be told in both Javanese and English and accompanied by a full gamelan orchestra.

more info

A (Balinese) Tempest

Directed by Larry Reed, Artistic Director of ShadowLight Productions, San Francisco
Musical Director: I Nyoman Sumandhi, Bali

Production Director: Kirstin Pauka,University of Hawai’i at Manoa

Jan 25, 26, 31, Feb 1, 2, 3 2008

This unusual adaptation of Shakespeare’s most musical and magical play is about a sorcerer and dethroned Milanese duke (Prospero), who has been banished with his daughter Miranda to an enchanted island.

Guest artist Larry Reed fuses Balinese and Elizabethan elements with his hallmark shadowcasting method, which utilizes a giant screen and live performers to create a magical shadow theatre performance. The production will also feature live musical accompaniment by the UH Balinese Gamelan Ensemble under the direction of guest artist I Nyoman Sumandhi. 

For more information go to hawaii.edu/theatre