Please join us for a one-of-a-kind virtual production Maya: the Illusionist, produced with generous support from the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County. Through this program, we hope to introduce viewers to an ancient South Asian perspective on the idea of worldly illusion, and to share both the traditional vocabulary and the contemporary narrative potential of the Odissi dance form. Starting with the idea of illusion, or Maya, as it is conceptualized in Hindu scripture, we show how reality is obscured in stories from other literary and cultural traditions, serving as both a plot device and a metaphor for a major aspect of the human experience.

The show will premiere via Zoom on December 5th, 2021. We’ll use interactive features of the virtual format to encourage audience introspection and discussion. The project is specifically geared toward residents of the Wheaton area of the county, as part of this grant’s effort to enrich the Wheaton Arts District with diverse perspectives and performances; as such, we’ll be reaching out to communities in Wheaton to make participation easy and fun for residents, and providing translations in a number of languages.

This event is free to attend! You just need to complete this short registration form. You’ll receive a link to attend the virtual program at the email you provide on this form. We hope to see you there!