Shyamali: Sprouting Words
World Premiere: september 15, 2017, The O’Shaugnessy AT ST. CATHERINE UNIVERSITY (st Paul, MN).
TOURING: KELLY-STRAYHORN THEATER (PITTSBURGH, PA); TANNER DANCE BLACK BOX THEATRE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH (SALT LAKE CITY, UT); SKIRBALL CULTURAL CENTER (LOS ANGELES, CA), MAUI ARTS & CULTURAL CENTER (KAHULUI, HI); ASIAN ARTS INITIATIVE/PAINTED BRIDE (PHILADELPHIA, PA); THE DANCE CENTER OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE (CHICAGO, IL).
Audré Lorde cautioned: “Your silence will not protect you.” Shyamali: Sprouting Words explores how dissent fuels life force and growth, recognizes the courage of women who speak up and talk back to sustain communities against injustice, and celebrates women who refuse to be broken. Inspired by the courage of women around the world, “Shyamali” means “dark green” in Bengali, and invokes the resilience of grass, which springs up when trod upon.
Running Time: 92 minutes, without intermission
Choreography
Ananya Chatterjea
Collaborating director
Marcus Young
scenic design
Joel Sass
costume design
Annie Cady
instrumental and vocal musicians
Negest Woldeamanuele
Chastity Brown
Laurie Carlos
Renée Copeland
Michelle Kinney
Mankwe Ndosi
Pooja Goswami Pavan
score composition & sound design
Greg Schutte
media design
Darren Johnson
Northern Dawn Media
performers
Leila Awadallah
Lizzette Chapa
Ananya Chatterjea
Renée Copeland
Alexandra Eady
Kealoha Ferreira
Julia Gay
Sophia Hill
Felicia Perry
Jonathan Van Arneman
Hui Nui Wilcox
Alessandra Lebea Williams
lighting design
Kevin A. Jones
