29
Oct, 2010
8
Sep, 2010
Performing Nautanki in Paris, reconnecting to roots in India, and enhancing Mission Suhani
I spent the last three months in Europe and India, traveling and performing Nautanki to diverse audiences. I also worked with my father on Nautanki Mission Suhani to expand the script and add new scenes for our performance at CounterPULSE this October. I first traveled to Paris, where I stayed at the Théâtre du Soleil (http://www.theatre-du-soleil.fr), a theater founded by the famous French director Ariane Mnouchkine. I watched their latest production, Les Naufragés du Fol Espoirs, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
6
Nov, 2009
Devendra Sharma for Performing Diaspora: Helpful Feedback from a Sympathetic Audience – An Artist’s Wish Come True!
Devendra Sharma is a Performing Diaspora Resident Artist at CountePULSE. See him at weekend 3 of Performing Diaspora, November 19-22. Buy tickets now! After coming back from India in late August, I have been working hard with my group on the rehearsals of “Mission Suhani.” As soon as I landed in America, I had to prepare for the Work-in-Progress (WIP) showing at Counter Pulse, so even though I was totally jetlagged, I got my group together and started
23
Sep, 2009
TALKS! From India to the Bay Area
Wed. Sept. 23, 7:30pm, Free Devendra Sharma & Jaysi Chander (physician & kathak dancer/tabla player/poet & activist) share short performances & discuss important issues surrounding the Bay Area Indian community. Topics include: immigration politics, women in forced marriage, Indian Invitro industry, political economy of Silicon Valley and Indian outsourcing industries. Photo of Devendra Sharma by John Cagle
31
Aug, 2009
Devendra Sharma for Performing Diaspora: “Mission Suhani”- Reflections from India!
Hi friends! I spent last three months living in India, co-writing the new Nautanki performance script for the “Performing Diaspora” with my father-- the renowned Nautanki artist, Pundit Ram Dayal Sharma, I loved my time in India. It was so much fun, and a learning experience, working with my father on this script that focuses on the issue of Indian men living in the U.S., who go back to India to get married to young Indian women and receive huge
2
Jun, 2009
Devendra Sharma for Performing Diaspora: Let us reclaim the respect for the indigenous folk artist
Colonialism does strange things to a culture. Ignoring one’s own indigenous “ordinary” culture, and blindly imitating others’ “legitimate” culture is one of them. It takes years and a lot of efforts before a culture realizes its self-worth during the post-colonial journey. At present, urban culture in India and Indian diaspora around the world is undergoing this journey. Let me share some of my life and thoughts with you as a rural folk artist from India who, first, migrated to a