Surati's popular and consistently sold-out show Ramaavan-A Musical is back again this year with a bang. With a bigger cast and venue, and an added dimension to the concept, the show, a part of Surati's Lights of Diwali festival, is expected to be sold out, just like last year.
The musical is in English, performed by an international caste, with elements of Indian classical dance and music, Shakespearean style verse, musical theater, poetry, opera, jazz and contemporary genres. Ramaavan - A Musical is conceptualized, choreographed, produced and directed by founder- artistic director of Surati, Rimli Roy, based on the great Indian epic, The Ramayana. The original script is by Arati Roy, while the musical score is by renowned music composers based in India, Sumit Roy and Rajesh Roy.
The story as depicted in the play, though based on the legendary epic Ramayana, questions its very existence of right and wrong, fair and unfair. The age-old concept of the hero and his family being depicted as light skinned virtuous Gods as against the villain and his clan as dark skinned demons and monsters has been eliminated from the heart of this play. The softer, humane and talented side of the antagonist, and the weaknesses of the protagonist and his family has not been ignored. Hence, the play in its own sweet but subtle way, condemns racism and deifies acceptance, peace and harmony.
The show brings together performers from different ethnic backgrounds and communities to tell this story from India, in order to highlight Surati's mission of artistic expression crossing boundaries of war, color, race and gender, promoting acceptance, respect, peace, harmony and brotherhood.
The overall story of the Ramayana remains exactly the same in the play. However, the fiercely neutral script of the same brings to light practical facts that leave a lot more in the audience's mind to ponder on their way out, than a usual, cliché thought like "the white hero won and the black demon lost".
The musical is in English, performed by an international caste, with elements of Indian classical dance and music, Shakespearean style verse, musical theater, poetry, opera, jazz and contemporary genres. Ramaavan - A Musical is conceptualized, choreographed, produced and directed by founder- artistic director of Surati, Rimli Roy, based on the great Indian epic, The Ramayana. The original script is by Arati Roy, while the musical score is by renowned music composers based in India, Sumit Roy and Rajesh Roy.
The story as depicted in the play, though based on the legendary epic Ramayana, questions its very existence of right and wrong, fair and unfair. The age-old concept of the hero and his family being depicted as light skinned virtuous Gods as against the villain and his clan as dark skinned demons and monsters has been eliminated from the heart of this play. The softer, humane and talented side of the antagonist, and the weaknesses of the protagonist and his family has not been ignored. Hence, the play in its own sweet but subtle way, condemns racism and deifies acceptance, peace and harmony.
The show brings together performers from different ethnic backgrounds and communities to tell this story from India, in order to highlight Surati's mission of artistic expression crossing boundaries of war, color, race and gender, promoting acceptance, respect, peace, harmony and brotherhood.
The overall story of the Ramayana remains exactly the same in the play. However, the fiercely neutral script of the same brings to light practical facts that leave a lot more in the audience's mind to ponder on their way out, than a usual, cliché thought like "the white hero won and the black demon lost".
The Cast
GEO PEREZ - RAM
Geo Perez was born in Edgewater, Nj and raised in West New York, Nj. He is an Actor, Singer, and Musician. He discovered his love for the arts at the age of 6 when he sat down at a piano and just began to play Mozart with no prior experience.
He would like to express his love and gratitude to everyone in the cast and the director, Rimli Roy, for making Ramavaan an unforgettable journey 
SETH LEIGHTON HALE - LAXMAN
Seth Leighton Hale is a Meisner trained actor and performer from Cleveland, Ohio. He is also one of the founders of the NYC based theater group, "Crow Theater Co." Some of his most recent projects include, A Common Martyr, and Revolutionary. In his free time he enjoys taking photos and chugging salsa straight from the jar. 
COURTNEY COSTELLO - JATAYU
This is Courtney’s first professional production as a performer, and she could not be more thrilled to be a part of the cast of Ramaavan: A Musical. She grew up in Hershey, Pennsylvania where she studied many styles of dance at One Broadway Dance Academy from the age of six, ranging from ballet/pointe, contemporary, tap, and jazz to hip hop, modern, musical theatre, acrobatics and other street styles. She served as a member of the dance ensemble in Hershey High School’s productions of Seussical the Musical and Damn Yankees. As a high school senior in 2013, she was selected to be a member of the Junior Redskins Dance Team where she performed with the cheerleaders at half-time in several Washington Redskins home games. In 2018, she graduated with a B.A in Theatre Dance Performance and a B.S. in Kinesiology from Penn State University where she performed in various faculty dance concerts and other outside performances with the School of Theatre. During her time at Penn State, she was also a member of the National Honor Society for the Dance Arts and Reve Dance Company where she served as a dancer and choreographer in multiple repertory shows. In addition to being a Surati dancer, she also currently participates as an athlete in Urban Dance League where she continues to train in street dance styles and commercial performance. Courtney is very excited to perform as Jatayu and as a dancer in this production of Ramaavan: A Musical and hopes that you will enjoy the show! 
CHRISTINA DOWLING - WARRIOR
Christina Dowling was born and raised in Bronx,NY. She began dancing when she began her high-school career where she was fortunate enough to have met Barbara Klein at Wings Academy High-school who was also the owner of Bronx Dance Theatre and had granted Christina a scholarship to the studio where she trained in classical ballet, modern (Graham and Horton), jazz and many other styles. Christina has performed annually for Bronx Dance Theatre in their end of semester showcases and Seasonal Nutcracker Ballet from 2012-2017. Expanding her training in the arts she attended the Summer Dance Sessions mentored by Chris Jacobsen , Sonya Tayeh , Monique Smith and more. She aspires to be able to perform globally as a dancer and to share her love of dance and pass it onto others. 
CHANTELLE BROOMES - WARRIOR/DANCER
Chantelle Broomes began her training at the Alvin Ailey American Dance School. She graduated and went on to train at the Dance Theater of Harlem. Simultaneously training at Uptown Dance Academy where she was granted the opportunity to perform the Nutcracker at the Apollo, performing alongside Misty Copeland. She then migrated to Los Angeles where she extended her dance training at the California Institute of the Arts. It is at this school she was awarded the opportunity to train in Barcelona. Afterwards, she moved to Paris for a different perspective on classical ballet. Here she attended the Paris Marais Dance School, and the LAAC ran by former stars of the Paris Opera Clairemarie Osta and Nicolas Le Riche. She trained privately with Marie-Agnes Gillot, former star of the Paris Opera and at Stanlowa with Lorena Lopez of the Ballet de Marseilles. |
JEFF BRACKETT - RAVAN
Jeff Brackett just recently moved from Hawai’i where he performed in 30 shows, 12 different theatres, five different commercials, a co-starring role on HAWAI’I FIVE-0, and a handful of short films.
Casey/Georgia McBride in THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE at MVT for which he won Best Actor in a play, Sky in MAMMA MIA at Diamond Head Theatre, and Jerry from THE ZOO STORY at The Ernst Ball Theatre. Here in New York he is an ongoing member in Jack Wetherall’s Shakespeare Lab and has been in 5 shows. Thank you for coming to support RAMAAVAN! 
KIRA GODLEY - SURPANAKHA
Kira is very excited to be playing Surpanaka in Surati’s production of Ramaavan. She has appeared in several theatrical productions including Voix Vocal Studio’s The Yellow Wallpaper and Transformations. A recent graduate of the Performing and Visual Arts program (PVA), she earned the ‘master of craft’ award for theatre. Kira would like to thank her family for all of their love and support. 
SARAH BIALKIN - DANCER
SARAH BIALKIN is thrilled to be part of Ramaavan! Off-Broadway: Humanity’s Child (performer and Associate Choreographer), winner of the New York Theatre Festival Summer 2019 for best Choreography. Selected performing credits: A Chorus Line (as Bebe); Character Quiz Show (Hersheypark), Red Riding Hood (92nd Street Y); South Pacific; Love’s Labour’s Lost the Musical (York Theatre, dir. Christine O’Grady); Frank and Friends (Frank Wildhorn benefit concert for Make A Wish Foundation); Dracula, the Musical (dir. Tom Wojtunik); Chris Pinnella: Classical Crossover (Feinstein’s/54 Below). B.A. Theatre/Musical Theatre from Marymount Manhattan College. A.C.T. Summer Training Congress 2015. Love to my family and friends, Marin Ballet, but especially mom and dad! 
VISHNU HALDAR - DANCER
Vishnupriya Haldar is classically trained in Bharatanatyam by Dr. Arti Datta. She completed her Aarangetram in 2011 and has been learning classical Indian dance since the age of 5. In 2015 she graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in International Studies concentrating in Economic and Political Development. At the University she performed in the Indian American Student Association shows Kalyara and Zastana. She is now working as a Customer Success Manager at a FinTech startup in NYC. This is her first performance with Surati and she is very excited to be part of the Ramaavan: A Musical production. |
TAVISHI SHARMA - SITA
Tavishi Sharma is playing Sita in Ramaavan- A Musical and feels honoured to play the part. Originally, she is from India and came to New York to pursue her dreams in musical theatre. She graduated from AMDA, NY and just made her debut in the Off-Broadway production of Alice in Wonderland. A big thank you to Rimli and the entire team!
SHURMILA DHAR - SURPANAKHA
Shurmila Dhar is an Indian American operatic soprano from Little Silver, New Jersey. She began singing classically at the age of 14 before furthering her studies at the Peabody Conservatory where she completed her Bachelor of Music degree in classical voice performance. This is her first time being involved in a musical theatre production, and she is very excited to be a part of a show that offers a platform for Indian performers to be represented. 
HARSH GUPTA - INDRAJIT
Harsh Gupta is a New York based actor currently studying at the Lee Strasberg theatre and film institute. Born and brought up in the cultural hub OF New Delhi, India, he has a degree in computer science. He has been training in both theatre and films. He also writes and directs his own ideas shaped into films. When he doesn’t act he likes to study wildlife biology and practice physical activities 
IMROZ MAUR - WARRIOR
Imroz is a student at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, New York. He grew up in Vancouver, Canada where he pursued his Bachelors of Science degree in Microbiology. He had always been very passionate about acting since childhood. He stayed committed to his passion and has recently moved to New York to pursue his career in acting. 
AKSHATA RANGARAJAN - DANCER
Akshata Rangarajan began her tryst with Bharatanatyam at the age of five under the tutelage of Guru Mrs. Uma Tilak in Pune, India. She has lived in India, U.K., Germany and the U.S. and continued to explore the world of dance by learning modern contemporary and Hip Hop.
She currently works with adidas in New York and enjoys reading, exploring the city, catching shows and travelling in her free time. As a national level athlete she attributes much of her principles to dance and sport.
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