Tholpavakoothu's Ramayana

Friday, December 19 at 7:00 PM (doors 6:30 PM), 75 minute performance with no intermission

Tickets are available for $20 in advance, $23 at the door, and $30 for preferred seating (pay-what-you-can available)

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Believed to have originated in the 9th or 10th century A.D., Tholpavakoothu is a sacred art form performed annually in temples as a festival dedicated to Goddess Bhadra Kali. This mesmerizing shadow puppet play is based on the Kamba Ramayana and is traditionally performed in Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi and English. Rooted in Indian mythology, Tholpavakoothu is believed to have been created for Goddess Bhadra Kali, who missed witnessing the battle between Sree Rama and Ravana due to her own fight against the demon king Darikasura. To appease her, Lord Shiva directed that the Ramayana battle be enacted on earth through puppetry a tradition that continues to this day.

This rare and unique blend of shadow puppetry, narration, and music brings to life the timeless stories of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, portraying the eternal struggle between good and evil. Rahul Koonathara, an accomplished artist and a 12th generation shadow puppet practitioner, has dedicated his life to preserving and showcasing this extraordinary art form on national and international platforms.

Tholpavakoothu’s ancient, ritually rooted performance is based on verses from the Kamba Ramayana, the Tamil version of the Hindu epic the Ramayana. The performance includes 71 different characters, and over 160 different shadow figures.

While traditional Tholpavakoothu shadow theater takes in temples as ritual performance, Ramachandra Pulavar and his family have popularized the form by performing a variety of stories of contemporary social relevance, about Mahatma Gandhi, Jesus Christ, and the empowerment of women, as well as performances based on traditional tales from the Mahabharata and the Panchatantra.

Tholpavakoothu shadow figures follow four main design categories: sitting, standing, walking, and fighting puppets, as well as puppets depicting nature, battle scenes, and ceremonial processions. The Pulavar family has continued the age-old tradition of shadow puppetry for the past 12 generations with all the traditional ritualistic performances while simultaneously incorporating contemporary narratives. The ensemble performs yearly in around 85 temples in Kerala from January to May as part of their tradition in the permanent shadow puppet theatre erected in temples.

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Artist Bio:

Rahul Koonathara (He/Him) is an MA candidate in the Department of Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies at the University of Connecticut, Storrs. He comes from a traditional puppetry family in Kerala, studied at the National School of Drama, Bengaluru, and has an MA in Folklore Studies from the University of Calicut. He has written on Indian puppetry in Puppetry International (2021) and collaborated with Professor Matthew Isaac Cohen in 2023 on an intercultural shadow puppet production, Ramayana: A Tale of Trees and Wood that toured the northeast U.S.

Anthony Sellitto-Budney (They/Them) is a graduate of the UConn Puppet Arts BFA Program. They were involved in Nephrii Ameni’s Food For The Gods as a puppeteer and performer as well as Alyson Doyle’s Folly, Adieu as a director, designer, and builder. They were more recently in the NOLA Giant Puppet Fest and devised a new work CAT Rave at the Eugene O'Neill Center. They are currently busking a clown show An Hour of Clown and performing an adult rod puppet show OVERSOULED. Their approach to art and life often overlap artistically and scientifically using concepts from both fields of study in order to create and process. They are constantly creating, performing, and devising and hope to see you at one of their shows!

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Funded in part by the New England States Touring program of the New England Foundation for the Arts, made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program and the six New England state arts agencies.

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PAY WHAT YOU CAN

No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Please use this online form or contact MSA at 207-879-4629 or info@mayostreetarts.org to take advantage of pay-what-you-can admission.

EVENT PARKING

Free on-street parking is available in Mayo Street Arts’ neighborhood.

There is one paid parking lot conveniently located a six-minute walk from the venue: Top of the Old Port Parking (119 Pearl St, Portland ME 04101)

Mayo Street Arts is accessible by Greater Portland Metro bus routes with nearby transfer points 7, 9A & 9B. Click here to learn more.

ACCESSIBILITY

All performances and most other events held at Mayo Street Arts are wheelchair accessible. There are two accessible spots directly in front of our building, however there is not yet a curb cut out at that location.

If you would benefit from additional information or accommodations, we invite you to contact us at info@mayostreetarts.org or 207-879-4629.

COMMUNITY HEALTH

Audience members — in addition to artists, staff & volunteers — who feel sick or exhibit symptoms of illness should stay home out of respect for others.

SEATING POLICY

We will save your reserved seat until showtime, at which point any unclaimed seats may be offered to other people. Please call our box office at 207-879-4629 if you are running late.

CANCELATION POLICY

MSA has a no refund policy for all reservations. In the event that MSA is forced to cancel an event due to weather, illness, etc., refunds will be offered via the Ticket Tailor platform.