Tales from India

An annual BMT series, Stories You Should Know showcases classic stories from a far-off corner of the world. They evoke the familiarity of stories you grew up with as a child with the flavor and magic of another culture. This year, our tales are drawn from all over India: from sandy desert dunes to thick jungles to towering mountains.

Join us for captivating stories about a misanthropic princess, a couple fighting over an imaginary cow, a boy who sells wisdom, the dangers of a tiger choosing a bride for his adopted human son, and a demon who’s really handy around the farm, until he’s bored…

Addressing his inspiration, story curator and performer Ethan Bowen says, “I was drawn to these stories from India because they have a vibrancy, a thrilling energy that you don’t find in their European counterparts. The language of these stories is so rich and steeped in its culture… and there are no tales about getting lost in the snow.” Bowen adds, “I read hundreds of stories every year, and have carefully chosen a few that fascinate me to share with our audience. These stories are magical, but also contain great humanity with which everyone can relate.”

Reader Ethan Bowen, described as a “master of the form,” delivers a tour-de-force performance, accompanied by the evocative tones of steel-tongued drum and shruti box. With a running time of one hour, these family-friendly tales have the strong subject matter (death, love, revenge, humor) that makes for great stories.

Adapted, curated, and edited by Ethan Bowen and Killian White              Music and performance by Ethan Bowen

Stories:

Untold Stories;  A Malcontent Cured; One More Use for Artists; The Tiger’s Adopted Son; Crossing a River, Losing a Self; A Hair’s-Breath Escape; Gopal Bhar Cures a Dreamer; The Boy Who Sold Wisdom; A Story in Search of an Audience; A Scavenger’s Dream; Gandharva Sen is Dead!; The Brahman Who Swallowed God

Production History:

Spice Studio, June 2018