Harvard Art Museums: Stories series, begins 10/13/10, with Xanthe Gresham

Join us on Wednesday, October 13th, for the first day of programming
in the STORIES: THE EPIC TRADITION series, which returns to the Arthur
M. Sackler Museum this fall after the successful events with Jay
O'Callahan, Surabhi Shah, and Linda Fang in March. In this incarnation
of the Stories series, outstanding storytellers—exponents of the
spoken word, song, and narrative dance—will present epics related to
works of art on view in the Sackler Museum galleries. Each day of
programming will have two sessions. The after-school sessions,
designed for families (ages 6 and up), will feature shorter stories
and a chance to see related works of art in the galleries. The evening
sessions, intended for student and adult audiences, will begin with a
brief talk about related objects in the collection by a museum curator
or educator.

All sessions are free, open to the public, and take place at the
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, lecture hall, 485
Broadway, Cambridge, MA.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010, 3:00pm and 6:00pm

Xanthe Gresham

Gresham performs her own version of Firdawsi's Shahnama, the most
important work of epic poetry in the Persian language. She presents
the heroic Rustam and his valiant steed, Rakhsh, in stories that offer
new insights into the stunning paintings based on the Shahnama that
are currently on view on the second floor of the Sackler Museum.

Gresham has worked extensively for the British Museum, has performed
in festivals, schools, and libraries throughout Europe, and is a
lecturer in storytelling and drama at the University of East London.
www.xanthegresham.co.uk.

3:00pm family session event page:
www.harvardartmuseums.org/calendar/detail.dot?id=31432

6:00pm adult session event page:
www.harvardartmuseums.org/calendar/detail.dot?id=31434

Future Stories programs:

Wednesday, October 27, 2010, 3:00pm and 6:00pm

Odds Bodkin

Homer's Odyssey is filled with memorable adventures in which the wily
Odysseus outwits an assortment of monsters and sorceresses on his
journey home from Troy. Bodkin's guitar creates the scenic and
emotional backdrop, while his voice brings to life such formidable
characters as the cyclops Polyphemus.

Bodkin has taught storytelling and imagination at Antioch University
New England and performs his music-filled stories at schools,
universities, museums, and theaters across America.
www.oddsbodkin.com.

3:00pm family session event page:
www.harvardartmuseums.org/calendar/detail.dot?id=31444

6:00pm adult session event page:
www.harvardartmuseums.org/calendar/detail.dot?id=31446

Wednesday, November 10, 2010, 3:00pm and 6:00pm

Surabhi Shah and Mesma Belsare

Valmiki's Ramayana is so central to Indian culture that recent
television broadcasts of the stories captivated a huge audience
throughout India. Shah and Belsare combine storytelling with classical
Indian story-dance, bharatanatyam, to introduce Rama, Sita, and other
characters that serve as exemplars of ethical living to this day.

Shah performs her repertoire of stories from the Jain and Hindu
traditions in museums and at community events throughout the United
States. Belsare dances and choreographs in the classical Indian
tradition of bharatanatyam and has performed at museums, universities,
theaters, and festivals throughout the United States.
www.mesmabelsare.com.

3:00pm family session event page:
www.harvardartmuseums.org/calendar/detail.dot?id=31448

6:00pm adult session event page:
www.harvardartmuseums.org/calendar/detail.dot?id=31450

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