South Asian Theatre with Universal Appeal

The Sitayana (or, How to Make an Exit)

Virtual – September 2021

Produced and Presented by: EnActe Arts, East West Players, and Hypokrit Productions

Written By: Lavina Jadhwani

Director: Reena Dutt

Dramaturg: Amrita Ramanan

Director of Photography: Lisa Tom

Production Designer: Kristen Flores

Costume Designer: Ashpord Jacoway

Set Designer: Sharath Patel

Stage Manager: Brandon Cheng

Video Editor/Graphic Effects and Titles Artist: Nancy Chou

Illustrator: Aki Ruiz

Cast: Suhel Banerjee, Tavish Bhattacharyya, Anup Jacob Brochu, Mandar Gokhale, GV Gopalakrishnan, Aseem Hattagady, Anuja Kale, Muktak Kanjilal,  Rajit Kapur, Sivakumar Krishnan, Vivek Madan, Devika Shahani

The Ramayana, told in a new light: The Sitayana maps Sita’s journey from a naïve 16-year-old excitedly awaiting her groom to a mature, loyal wife who follows her husband into exile. The playwright paints a contemporary portrait of the legendary queen and showcases not just one but three distinct incarnations of Sita. Each version breaks all traditional gender stereotypes associated with women, both in epic tales and in life, and leads the story to a bold conclusion where all three Sitas say, “I’m done,” and make the ultimate exit, making Sita worthy of being the hero of her own tale, The Sitayana.