Cornerstone Theater Company and East West Players present
AS VISHNU DREAMS

World Premiere play by Shishir Kurup; Directed by Juliette Carrillo

Created in collaboration with the Los Angeles Hindu community, this contemporary adaptation of the epic Hindu poem, The Ramayana, explores the symbiosis of good and evil through the complicated relationship of the “fair” Queen Sita, the “evil” Ravana and the “hero” Rama. This intriguing exploration of the nature of morality tales and the power of myth upon modern culture playfully integrates musical sequences and shadow puppets.

Playwright Shishir Kurup was born in Bombay, India and raised in Kenya. He has been a Cornerstone ensemble member since 1994 and has written, directed, appeared in, and composed music for numerous Cornerstone shows. Shishir has explored his own identity as an Indian-American in his acclaimed solo shows Assimilation, Exile:Ruminations on a Reluctant Martyr and Sharif Don't Like It, and in his award-winning Shakespearian adaptation, Merchant on Venice, which explores tensions between Hindus and Muslims in Culver City’s South Asian community. Director Juliette Carrillo is a recent addition to the Cornerstone ensemble and a long-time collaborator with Shishir and with the company, for which she has directed two previous community collaborations. She is a cutting edge theater and film director and choreographer with extensive experience at South Coast Repertory and other local theaters.

This is the final community-specific show of Cornerstone’s Faith Based Theater Cycle, exploring the question: How does faith unite and divide us? The cycle culminates in June 2005 with an epic Faith-Based Bridge Show at the historic Ford Amphitheatre. East West Players, the nation’s premier Asian American theatre organization, opens its 39th Anniversary Season of New Perspectives with As Vishnu Dreams.

“East West Players is thrilled to be collaborating with the renowned Cornerstone Theatre Company on a project that fulfills both our missions. Cultivating the South Asian community is an important goal for us and this is the perfect opportunity to reach out with a contemporary vision of an historic work,” says Tim Dang, East West Players Producing Artistic Director.

Community Partners for this project include Artwallah (formerly Indo-American Cultural Center), International Society for Krishna Consciousness-Los Angeles, Satrang, Vedanta Society of Southern California-Hollywood, and Hindu Temple Society of Southern California-Malibu.

Cornerstone Theater Company and East West Players present
AS VISHNU DREAMS
By Shishir Kurup, Directed by Juliette Carrillo

DAVID HENRY HWANG THEATER AT THE UNION CENTER FOR THE ARTS
120 Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
(Located in the Little Tokyo District of Downtown Los Angeles between Temple and First streets.)

NOVEMBER 10 – DECEMBER 5, 2004
Previews November 4-7, 2004
Performances: Thursday - Saturday @ 8pm; Saturday & Sunday @ 2 pm (no matinee on Nov. 6 and 13). Due to the Thanksgiving Holiday there will be no performance on November 25.

FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION visit www.eastwestplayers.org or call (213) 625-7000.
Tickets $20-$58 (Student, Senior and Group discounts available.)
Pay-What-You-Can: Nov. 11, 20, 26 and Dec. 4