Starting on Oct. 28 at Stone Circle Theater, the Ridgwood-based performance group Gamelan Dharma Swara (DS) will be debuting a new Balinese performance and an original shadow-puppet play in partnership with Foreshadow, a theatre group from Brooklyn. The play is based on a Hindi myth that inspires “awe and wonder” of a child experiencing a terrible storm, and will be followed by the traditional cultural performance.
Advance tickets are $25 to $30 at the doors of Stone Circle Theatre, located at 59-14 70th Ave. in Ridgewood, and shows begin at 7 p.m.
“An integral part of Indonesian history and culture, gamelan and its accompanying dances are a fixture of religious ceremonies, palace rituals, shadow puppet performances and many other communal and social occasions,” wrote a DS representative in a press release.
The Balinese performance, N’oreaster, was composed by Joel Mellin, Jerome Fund awardee, and choreographed by Ilona Bito and Ndaru Kartikaningsih, all of whom are members of DS. The shadow-puppet play is based on the Hindi myth of Kalla Rahu, an important figure in the religion and even featured on DS’s insignia. Foreshadow, founded by childhood friends Gaby Febland and Rosalind Lilly, incorporates a full size screen for display to tell the story of gods and demons locked in a “cosmic tug-of-war to ‘churn the nectar’ of immortality from the depths of the ocean.”
DS and Foreshadow have partnered throughout the winter season to continually develop the family-friendly show to be ready for the Balinese Arts Festival in Denpasar, Bali next summer. DS first toured Bali in 2010 after receiving an invite to join a Battle of the Bands for the same festival.
The show is funded by New Music USA and American Indonesian Cultural and Educational Fund (AICEF).
