Experience shadow puppetry by firelight! Witness scenes from the dramatic epic Ramayana, complete with scenes of battles, trickery, and the natural world, performed by masters of Tholpavakoothu, a traditional form of shadow puppetry from Kerala, India. 

Come at 8:00 pm to try manipulating the handmade leather puppets, with guidance from the visiting artists, and then, as dusk falls, stay to see a performance.

Even puppet fans may never have seen shadow puppetry like this — the screen is illuminated by 21 lighted lamps made of coconuts cut in half, filled with coconut oil, and lit with cotton wicks. About 160 puppets are used for this performance! 

Rahul Koonathara, a 13th-generation practitioner of this traditional form of fire-lit shadow puppetry from Kerala, India, leads this ensemble.

About the Artists

Rahul Koonathara (he/him) is an accomplished artist and a 12th-generation shadow puppet practitioner from Kerala, India. He holds a BFA in physics and theatre, an MA in Comparative Literature, and is currently working towards his PhD. He is also the recipient of UConn’s Harriott Fellowship. He has toured extensively through the U.S. and has dedicated his life to preserving and showcasing this extraordinary art form on national and international platforms.

Anthony Sellitto-Budney (they/them) is a graduate of the UConn Puppet Arts BFA Program and founder of BreakFAST Puppets. They are a puppeteer, clown, and performance artist, and have been featured in the NOLA Giant Puppet Fest and the Asheville Fringe Fest, as well as being the 2023 Emerging Artist at the Eugene O’Neill Puppetry Conference.

This presentation was made possible in part with support from the Brookline Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community Relations.