CREDITS
Choreography and Direction by Sheejith Krishna
Script and Theater Adaptation by Akhila Ramnarayan
Music by Jyothishmati Sheejith Krishna
Music Arrangement by Sai Shravanam
ABOUT THE STORY
An idealistic dreamer sets out to revive the lost tradition of chivalry. Accompanied by his faithful friend Sancho Panza, Don Quixote has a series of fantastic adventures in his quest to save the world. Miguel Cervantes’ 17th-century novel spotlights the power of storytelling. It celebrates the extraordinariness of ordinary people coming together across differences and difficulties. Beauty and dignity emerge out of indignity and ugliness, as do conviction, passion, humor, and heart.
ABOUT THE WORK
What happens when a band of whimsical dreamers from India runs full tilt into an offbeat epic from Spain? A 21st-century stage adaptation of Miguel Cervantes’ 17th-century novel, Sahrdaya Foundation’s Don Quixote combines multiple art forms — poetry, music, dance, and theatre — to unfold a timeless tale with universal relevance. Choreography and direction by Sheejith Krishna, and performed by a 15-member cast.
ABOUT THE LEAD ARTIST
Sheejith Krishna studied, then taught, at the world renowned Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai, India, for 21 years (1989-2010). He trained in Bharatanatyam, Carnatic vocal music and percussion under stalwarts Sarada Hoffman, Vikku Vinayakaram, and S. Rajaram. Among several full-length ensemble productions, he choreographed and directed for the Kalakshetra Repertory in 2007 the innovative Masquerade, an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ Man in the Iron Mask in the idiom of Bharatanatyam, to critical and popular acclaim.
Now a highly acclaimed independent artist, his work has taken him all over the globe as a choreographer, solo dancer, and teacher. Winner of the Sangeet Natak Akademi’s prestigious Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar (2007) and the Sri Krishna Gana Sabha’s Yagnaraman Award for Excellence in Dance (2010), he continues to perform as a lead dancer with the Kalakshetra Repertory’s productions while choreographing his own solo and ensemble productions. He co-founded the Sahrdaya Foundation, an organization for the arts of India -Bharatanatyam dance, Carnatic music, and allied classical and contemporary forms- with a three-fold focus on education, performance and community outreach.
For more information about Sahrdaya Foundation, go to Sahrdaya Foundation