*photo by Greg Filkins *photo by Rob Nava Ramayana 2K3 November 21 - December 7, 2003 Nov 21-23 at 7:30pm, Nov 25, 28-30 at 7:30pm Dec 2 - 7 at 7:30pm The Annex Theatre conceived, written and directed by Robert A. Prior costume and mask design by Robert A. Prior lighting design by Richard Ford and Stephen Hues visual projection design by Yo Suzuki sound design and editing by Scott Jennings live tabla by Abhiman Kaushal co-presented by Seth Landsberg and April Vanoff The eclectic west coast-based performance troupe, Fabulous Monsters, will premiere its acclaimed new work, RAMAYANA 2K3, employing a new genre of theatrical storytelling -- the electronica dance drama – RAMAYANA 2K3 brings the ancient Hindu myth to life and features a pulsating backdrop of techno sounds by Alex Spurkel, Amani vs. Teapot, Andrew Yeater, Bentheogen, DJ Brian, Electric Skychurch, Martin St. Pierre, Sufi Dreams and The Muytator, among many others. The productions also features live tabla by the renowned Abiman Kaushal. Conceived, written and directed by Robert A. Prior and choreographed by Stephen Hues, Ramayana 2K3 premiered last year in a sold-out engagement at Highways Performance Space in Santa Monica. The production features a cast of 21 (playing countless roles from goddesses to warriors, and from demons to monkeys) in this modern retelling of the 2,000 year-old Hindu myth by Indian poet Valmiki. Nearly a decade young, Fabulous Monsters Performance Group has created the pieces A Grimm Evening, The Maids, Psy-Cabaret, Project: Alice, Speed-Hedda and Voluptuous Madness as well as its award-winning cross-gendered version of The Importance of Being Earnest. Fabulous Monsters most recent New York appearance was last year’s production of Speed-Hedda at La Mama Etc. *photo by Greg Filkins Robert A. Prior (Fabulous Monsters Founder) is an award-winning director / designer / playwright and performer whose work has been seen at Actor’s Gang Theatre, Indecent Exposure Theatre, The Evidence Room, Long Beach Opera and LA Opera. His most recent work was Queeries, an exploration of queer history, which premiered last season at Highways Performance Space. Stephen Hues co-founded Montreal’s legendary gender-bending performance group, House of Pride. He recently choreographed and performed in Kaotica, the underworld sequence of I am Fantasy, co-produced by Fabulous Monsters and Dream Circus Theatre. Performances also include original dance pieces in Robert Prior’s Queeries at the Ecco Lesbo / Ecco Homo 2002 Festival, among others. 2003 page