Chitra: The Girl Prince
Promo Video
Press Reviews:
Oregon Arts Watch: http://www.orartswatch.org/chitra-tale-as-old-as-time/?fbclid=IwAR2FE42Cfq22sg50T6DpW9HM-P1iePljWb8hg0wjh-i0Icu1DoxIwAc2xvc
Dennis Sparks Reviews: http://dennissparksreviews.blogspot.com/2018/02/chitra-girl-princenw-childrens.html
Asian American Theater Review: https://aatrevue.com/Newsblog/2018/03/02/review-chitra-the-girl-prince-portland-or/
Audience Reviews:
"I watched the very first show and was blown away! It was an amazing production and highly recommend everyone to watch! Great performance by the cast! What a unique way to showcase an Indian story to an American audience!"
"It was amazing to watch a beautiful Indian story portrayed so well on western theater. This is indeed a result on the wonderful and v talented people behind the production. Big round of applause to all of them."
"This was an amazing performance. As a second generation Indian American and with children who are bi-racial it is so hard to come by Indian art and dance in the inner Portland area. I am so happy that my girls were exposed to this show and excited about seeing their heritage on stage. Bravo NWCT for supporting multicultural art and drama! This may be some children's only exposure to Indian dance. And Anita Menon does a phenomenal job every time with her work. And frankly this show was such a high caliber that both children and adults were left with a great experience."
"Such a treat to be at the premier of Chitra: The Girl Prince. Starting with Mahabharata and Tagore's "Chitrangada" as inspiration ... this children's play is engaging, entertaining and provocative. It manages to be simultaneously timeless and topical - tackling issues related to gender roles and girls/women taking control over the narrative and locus of their lives. While these are serious and weighty issues the play holds your attention with snappy repartee, beautifully executed Bharatanatayam, rapid-fire fight choreography, a gorgeous set and even a Bollywood dance to top it all. Anita Menon & Sarah Jane Hardy thank you for all you do for the community."
"Watching “Chita – The girl prince” was an absolute delight! Right from the very start it fires up the imagination of the audience with its colorful costumes, set designs, sound and vibrant lightening. Kudos to the entire team who have given life to young “Chitra”; the warrior princess standing up in defiance to societal norms and gender stereotypes. The script was adapted very well by Avantika to cater our young audience without losing out on the main theme of the story. The direction of the script was flawless making every actor portray their role accurately. My 10 year old son particularly enjoyed the comic timing between “Madan” and “Vasant”. The dialogues were well written and were witty and playful providing a good comic relief in the flow of the story. As audience we also enjoyed the wonderful choreography in this production particularly the fusion between traditional forms of dance with fight chorography. It was indeed a new concept. To sum it up; it was wonderful to watch a beautiful tale from India being played on western theater. Chitra is definitely a must watch for all lovers of Theater irrespective of their age."
"Loved every aspect of this production! The stage, sound, light and costume were perfect backdrop to the talented pool of artists showcasing the epic dance drama!!! Getting the audience/ kids in the finale bid was the cherry on top! You could see the joy and enthusiasm and awe written all over their sweet faces ...testimony of the show connecting to the little ones was long line to get the autograph after the show! Congratulations and Go girl power!"
"What a wonderful show! We took our girls, my sister and a few friends this afternoon and had so much fun. The performance was filled with bright colors, great music, so much energy and lots of laughs. It sparkles from beginning to end. Anita Menon’s choreography left us in awe and the all cast ensemble performance at the end was the highlight of the show."
" had the privilege of watching Chitra - The Girl Prince this afternoon in NWCT. Directors Sarah Jane Hardy and Anita Menon have brought the Nobel laureate Sri Rabindranath Tagore’s dance-drama to life for the Portland audience. Incredible team of theater artists, musicians and dancers has done an awesome job keeping the audience spellbound during the entire show. Each and every artist stood out and all the hard work that went in to prepare for the performance was very evident. Great Job and Congratulations!"
"We were there last weekend to watch the " Chitra " show. It was just phenomenal! Truly amazed at the excellent collaborative effort put forth by each and everyone involved. The fight sequences and the timings were just on the dot. So heartwarming to see the artists from all cultures and backgrounds making it a truly all inclusive American show. Needless to say Alisha rocked! Hats off to you and the NW children's theater. Looking forward to many more."
"We thoroughly enjoyed the program. I felt a lot of pride sitting in the audience and watching the amazing performers."
"Undoubtedly a top notch presentation , consequently highly recommended!!! ...I was completely engrossed all through and fully glued to the seat staring up at the people and their acts on stage with immense awe! #GoChitra -the girl prince!"
"A very inspiring message when any girl can choose to be a fighter who successfully battles her father’s enemies away over being a dolled up Daddy’s princess ! A take home message from Rabindra Nath Tagore , magnificently executed by the entire cast and crew!"