A.R.T. to Present Additional LIFE OF PI Programming, Including Puppetry Workshops & More

American Repertory Theater has announced additional programming associated with its upcoming production of Life of Pi. Performances began December 6 at the Loeb Drama Center in Harvard Square and continues through January 29, 2023.

ABOUT THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION

Driven by A.R.T.'s value of inquiry and its commitment to asking questions with brave curiosity on a never-ending journey of learning and growth, each production's creative team, company, and A.R.T.'s Artistic team collaborate to develop Essential Questions to guide work in the rehearsal room, onstage, and for engaging with audiences. Life of Pi and many of its associated events are driven by this Essential Question: How does telling stories help us cope and survive?

The public is invited to consider this question, and to offer their own responses, in-person at the Loeb Drama Center in conjunction with a Life of Pi performance and by engaging in the following events:

UPCOMING LIFE OF PI PROGRAMMING

• Various dates in January 2023 - Newly Announced

LIFE OF PI PUPPETRY WORKSHOPS

Life of Pi brings the transformative world of puppetry to life, activating our senses as we witness the magic of this metaphorical world and consider the Essential Question: How does telling stories help us cope and survive? Join us for a workshop in January inspired by the puppetry in Life of Pi for a close-up view of a rehearsal tiger puppet and to learn about the fundamental building blocks of puppetry-breath, focus, and motion-as you bring your puppet to life.

·Wednesday, January 4 and Tuesday, January 10, 2023, 6:30PM | Loeb Drama Center

Free with a ticket to the January 4 or January 10 performances, book at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/LifeofPi

·Thursday, January 19, 2023, 3:30 - 5:30PM (drop-in) | Harvard SEAS Makerspace

Harvard ID required, no registration required

·Saturday, January 28, 2023, 11AM-2PM (drop-in) | Harvard Ed Portal

Life of Pi Puppetry Workshops are suitable for all ages and no prior puppetry experience is required. Learn more at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/Puppetry.

Workshops are also available to book for in-school and community settings. Contact Education@amrep.org for more information.

• January 12 - 15, 2023 | Loeb Experimental Theater - Newly Announced

DIALOGUE OF CIVILIZATIONS: ZAHHAK: THE LEGEND OF THE SERPENT KING

Zahhak: The Legend of the Serpent King is a new adaptation from Shahnameh (The Persian Book of Kings) by Persian poet Abul-Qâsem Ferdowsi (CE 940 - 1020). It is inspired by the ancient Persian storytelling style Naghali along with Western physical theater and live jazz music. Shahnameh, the most celebrated epic poem in Iran, chronicles the first fifty monarchs in Iran's history; Zahhak, one of the poem's most popular stories, describes the reign of the eponymous demon-possessed fourth king of Persia. It is written and directed by Vahdat Yeganeh and performed by Iranian actress Donya Pooli-Yeganeh and Turkish pianist Engin Ozsahin, who also contributes original music. Audiences are invited to consider this philosophical, psychological, and political Persian mythology in relation to themselves, to experience the power of storytelling, and to consider the Essential Question framing A.R.T.'s production of Life of Pi: How does telling stories help us cope and survive?

In coordination with Boston Experimental Theatre, Zahhak: The Legend of the Serpent King is presented as part of A.R.T.'s Dialogue of Civilizations programming, which creates environments for International Artists and thinkers to explore the dynamics of the interplay between their cultures. The Dialogue of Civilizations initiative aims to spark global understanding and empathy to foster a future of symbiotic cultural development and exchange. With this play, artists from different cultures celebrate overlooked Persian literature in America to embody and present the work with the sensibilities, experiences, and ideas of different civilizations.

Free, register for tickets at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/Zahhak.

·Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 5PM

·Friday, January 13, 2023 at 2PM

·Saturday, January 14, 2023 at 5PM

·Sunday, January 15, 2023 at 5PM

Following the Saturday, January 14 performance, there will be a post-show conversation with Siamak Movahedi, Ph.D., FIPA, entitled The Ghost of Zahhak in the Age of Totalitarianism. Brief post-show conversations with the company will follow all other performances.

• Friday, January 13 at 5:30PM; Saturday, January 21 at 12PM | Loeb Drama Center

THE APPETIZER

A pre-show experience designed for high school students by high school students from A.R.T.'s Youth Action Team. Participants will enjoy refreshments and engage in fun, interactive activities to explore theatrical storytelling and guided conversation around the themes of the play and the Essential Question: How does telling stories help us cope and survive?

High schoolers can RSVP for their preferred date and free ticket to Life of Pi at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/TheAppetizer.

• Sunday, January 15 at 2PM

RELAXED PERFORMANCE

In partnership with Spectrum Theatre Ensemble's Neurodiverse Inclusive Certified Entertainment (NICE) program. Open to all audience members who could benefit from a more relaxed atmosphere at the theater, particularly audience members with sensory sensitivities. Book seats online, by contacting Access@amrep.org, or calling 617.547.8300

• Wednesday, January 18, 2023 at 7:30PM & Sunday, January 22, 2023 at 2PM | Loeb Drama Center

ASL INTERPRETED PERFORMANCES

Director of Artistic ASL: Elbert "EJ" Joseph. Book seats online, by contacting Access@amrep.org, or calling 617.547.8300

• Thursday, January 19, 2023 at 7:30PM & Saturday, January 21, 2023 at 2PM | Loeb Drama Center

OPEN CAPTIONED PERFORMANCES

Captions provided by c2. Book seats online, by contacting Access@amrep.org, or calling 617.547.8300

• Thursday, January 19, 2023 at 7:30PM & Saturday, January 21, 2023 at 2PM | Loeb Drama Center

AUDIO DESCRIBED PERFORMANCES

Audio Description Consultant: Amber Pearcy | Audio Describers: Maria Hendricks & Teddy Hendricks

Book seats online, by contacting Access@amrep.org, or calling 617.547.8300

• Sunday, January 22, 2023 at 1PM | Loeb Drama Center

MEMBER EVENT

Supporters of $75+ are invited to a reception before the matinee performance. Stay after for a demonstration from the puppeteers about how they bring the show's animals to life.

Contact DonorEvents@amrep.org for more information.

• Sunday, January 22, 2023 following the 2PM performance | Loeb Drama Center

PUPPETRY DEMONSTRATION

Includes ASL Interpretation

Following the performance, discover how the Life of Pi puppeteers bring the animals of the Pondicherry Zoo to life. Through explanation and demonstration, learn about the preparation, rehearsal, and performance processes behind these dazzling puppets.

Free with a ticket to the January 22 performance, book at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/LifeofPi.

ARTISTS FOR HUMANITY COLLABORATION

A.R.T. continues its collaboration with Artists For Humanity, a Boston-based nonprofit that provides teens the keys to self-sufficiency through paid employment in art and design.

In response to Life of Pi, AFH teens and their mentors researched the story, visited rehearsal, considered their own responses, and created a new piece of visual art in response to the Essential Question: How does storytelling help us cope and survive? The piece is on display in the West Lobby of the Loeb Drama Center throughout the run of Life of Pi.

DONATION DRIVE FOR TRANSITION HOUSE

During the run of Life of Pi, A.R.T. is hosting a donation drive for Transition House in Central Square. The first domestic violence shelter on the East Coast, Transition House provides housing resources, support services, and prevention tools to sustain family stability and emphasize a whole-community approach to violence prevention.

The shelter is most in need of the following clean, unused items:

• Gift cards to Target, Market Basket, CVS, and Walgreens
• Pre-loaded CharlieCards
• Laundry detergent
• Full size body lotion
• Deodorant
• Diapers (all sizes)
• Journals

Gift cards and CharlieCards should be left with the receptionist at the Information Desk.

Donations can be dropped off at the Loeb Drama Center (64 Brattle Street, Harvard Square) Tuesdays through Sundays between 9AM and 7:30PM and Mondays between 9AM and 5PM.

ABOUT Life of Pi

In Life of Pi, sixteen-year-old Pi and his family set off to emigrate from India, but after their ship sinks in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Pi is left stranded on a lifeboat with just four other survivors: a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Royal Bengal tiger. Time is against them, and nature is harsh-who will survive? Called "extraordinary and unmissable" by The Guardian for its inventive puppetry, this highly imaginative theatrical adaptation brings one of the most beloved works of fiction to the stage to tell its epic story of endurance and hope.

Adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti based on the best-selling novel by Yann Martell, Life of Pi is directed by Max Webster, with Scenic and Costume Design by Olivier Award winner Tim Hatley, Puppet and Movement Direction by Finn Caldwell, Puppet Design by Olivier Award winners Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, Video Design by Olivier Award winner Andrzej Goulding, Lighting Design by Olivier Award winner Tim Lutkin, Sound Design by Carolyn Downing, Original Music by Andrew T. Mackay, and Dramaturgy by Jack Bradley.

Adi Dixit leads the cast of Life of Pi in the title role, and is joined by Brian Thomas Abraham as Cook/Voice of Richard Parker; Rajesh Bose as Father; Mahnaz Damania as Ensemble; Avery Glymph as Father Martin/Russian Soldier/Admiral Jackson; Mahira Kakkar as Nurse/Amma/Orange Juice; Kirstin Louie as Lulu Chen; Usman Ali Mughal as Ensemble; Uma Paranjpe as Ensemble; Salma Shaw as Mrs. Biology Kumar/Zaida Khan; David Shih as Ensemble; Sathya Sridharan as Mamaji/Pandit-ji; Daisuke Tsuji as Mr. Okamoto/Captain; and Sonya Venugopal as Rani. The Puppeteers are Nikki Calonge, Fred Davis, Rowan Magee, Jonathan David Martin, Betsy Rosen, Celia Mei Rubin, Scarlet Wilderink, and Andrew Wilson.

Life of Pi is stage managed by Sharika Niles. Luke Anderson and Jonathan Castanien serve as assistant stage managers. Casting is by Stewart/Whitley.

Additional Production Support provided by Ann and Graham Gund, Janet and Irv Plotkin, and Sid Yog.

A.R.T.'s 2022/23 programming is supported by Harvard University, The Barr Foundation, The Bob and Alison Murchison New Work Development Fund, The Shubert Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Bank of America, Barton & Guestier, Meyer Sound, and JetBlue.

TICKETING INFORMATION

Life of Pi plays now through Sunday, January 29, 2023. See the full performance schedule at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/LifeofPi.

Tickets from $30 are available at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/LifeOfPi. Discounts are available to students and ticket-buyers under age 25, Blue Star families, EBT cardholders, seniors, Harvard faculty and staff, and others. More information at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/PlanYourVisit.

• Concierge Ticketing Service

There may be a limited number of premium house seats available in limited capacity and sold out Life of Pi performances for donors of $1,000+ via our Concierge Ticketing Service. To become a member or upgrade your membership and access these tickets, please contact DonorEmails@amrep.org.

• Standing Room - $25

A very limited number of standing-room tickets will be sold at select sold-out shows beginning December 16. $25 tickets are available day-of in-person at the Loeb Drama Center Ticket Services Office (64 Brattle Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge). Limit one ticket per person.

• Rush - $30

Day-of rush tickets for $30 each may be made available online at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/LifeofPi as inventory allows.

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