First of all, Professor Aguas, I want to congratulate you on all of the hard work, energy, effort, and cooperation/collaboration you put into the making of Sitayana. I think that sometimes people forget, that regardless of whether or not they “liked” a performance or a piece of work, that someone put a lot of effort into it, and it deserves to be recognized. I hope you felt you got the recognition and support you deserved after your amazing presentations this weekend, because you certainly are worthy of it!

That being said, I would like to describe my experience of observing Sitayana as an audience member, which for me was an unusual but formative experience. In fact, I can confidently say I’ve never been to a production like that before, and wonder if I will attend one that rivals it again ever. I didn’t know what to expect, so when the music began, and the words began to flash on the backdrop I was taken aback! However, several aspects of the show that left a major impression on me. First of all, the set was spectacular. It looked so ornate and realistic, like a real stone building! The moving/rotating doors made for some entertaining moments during the show, and I even thought the hidden smoke machines were clever. Additionally, the props and costumes were clearly well thought out. I’ve NEVER seen such beautiful and intricate costumes, and the use of bamboo trees during the dances left the entire audience in awe. Beyond the visible surface features, I thought the message conveyed about women and relationships to be so insightful. Especially coming from someone who I know is a loving Dad, who has lived in many environments and experienced both good and bad in life, I was touched to see how it translated into your play. The inclusion of your kids was a special surprise, and I can only imagine how excited and eager they were to participate! Another aspect I really appreciated about this performance was the sound. The music was so well connected to each different scene of the play, and the eastern-sounding instruments always appeal to me. I loved the deep drums and the chimes, and the noise created by the bells worn by Sita! Lastly, the screeches and noises made by the actors were well executed. They really committed to sounding animalistic and evil at times, and in such unison the chants left the audience rapt with attention focused on the stage.

I’m so glad I got to spend my Thursday night watching this with friends, and also felt a strong sense of personal pride to know that someone insightful enough to direct and produce such a play was my teacher! I only hope I can do half as well for the final presentation on myself, because Sitayana was great; definitely wish it was in theatres another weekend in a row.