Alliance for New Music-Theatre Presents SANDAYA: BURMESE LESSONS, Now thru 7/21

What is it like to live in a society where you are muzzled, where everything you say is overheard and reported?

Told from the perspective of artists, musicians and other performers who are trying to pursue their art, Sandaya: Burmese Lessons is a music-theatre performance that covers nearly twenty years of Burmese history, capturing the turmoil between 1988 when the military junta clamped down on Burmese demonstrators killing 10,000 people, and ending with the Saffron revolution of 2007. This is the story of a young American pianist who learns about Burmese society by playing Burmese music.

This performance is produced by Alliance for New Music-Theatre, featuring contemporary performance art and Burmese dance, drumming and puppetry with American as well as Burmese performers, coming from Yangon. The work is co-created by Kit Young (composer), Susan Galbraith (director/scriptwriter), with Chaw Ei Thein (performance artist).

Sandaya: Burmese Lessons traces the journey of a young American pianist as she learns Burmese language and unique piano style (sandaya). Her story captures her relationships with a Burmese performance artist and her piano teacher, as all three become caught up in the struggle between artistic expression and tyranny. The multi-media performance also features Burmese dance, drumming, and puppetry, and music by composer Kit Young as it tells a contemporary tale of the resiliency of a culture and its artists.

The show will run today, July 11 - 14, and 18 - 21, 2013. Times: Thursday - Sunday evenings 8pm / Sunday matinees at 3pm; July 10th - special 'pay what you can' preview - 8pm. Burmese food available on Opening night July 11th and the Sunday matinees. All shows run at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H Street NE Washington, DC. Valet parking available. Price: $30 / $25 seniors / $15 students. Box Office: 202 399 7993 ext 2. Tickets: https://www.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?t=tix&e=80f6b8ed5071121ffa69c82394fed75e. More information: www.newmusictheatre.org.

Chaw Ei Thein - a performance artist currently residing in New York has just been nominated as one of 50 outstanding women of Myanmar by the Myanmar Times. She talks about her experience as a political refugee, artist, and immigrant artist in the States in this video clip: http://vimeo.com/17444471.

Myanmar Pyi Kyauk Sein, award winning virtuoso on Burmese percussion - 21 circle drums (the put waing) - he will also be featured in the Palisades 4th July Parade. YouTube Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8CGsJqAYYc.

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