A musical theatre production of Good versus Evil presented by students from pre to the high school of Mount Madonna School (MMS)
Our bureau
San Jose, CA
The 44th Annual Musical “Ramayana!” – a theatre production conceptualized on the basis of Hindu holy scripture and adapted for modern audiences by students of MMS was presented at the Mexican Heritage Theatre in San Jose, California. This is MMS school’s annual mega event to display the vibrancy and diversity of Indian culture and connect the local Indian diaspora with their rich traditions.
The unique thing about this annual event is that the entire student body from pre to high school takes part in the “Ramayana!” This musical drama intends to highlight the importance of Ramayana and the worth of its teachings for contemporary society with the scintillating performances of students.
Gitanjali Rivera, director of the show said, “All myths have lessons for us, regardless of the cultural tradition or origin. These myths, including ‘Ramayana!’ tell universal stories of good versus evil, of devotion to something greater than ourselves, and the importance of creating a community of service.”
This epic event was a fabulous collection of well-choreographed scenes including battle scenes, forest scenes with monkeys, comedy, deep introspection, and the ten-headed powerful King Ravana. All the decorative costumes, demon and monkey masks, elaborate sets, props, and monster rigs like Kumbhakarna, a 25-foot puppet with a radio-controlled mechanical mouth and eyes, were developed by Baba Hari Dass, and artisans of the center and the school.
