Rikki Tikki Tavi

 

DIRECTOR’S NOTE:

“Rudyard Kipling’s Rikki Tikki Tavi has been a personal favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. This evening you will see an adaptation of Kipling’s story told through puppetry, music, and the splendor of Indian culture. This past summer, I had the opportunity to live in India and travelled from Mumbai to Dharamsala and everywhere in between. I even came across a mongoose in a garden. Experiencing Indian culture first hand convinced me that this story could not take place in just any garden – the story belongs in India and my adaptation is to honor its culture, this country and it’s people. To tell the story this way, great care has been taken to respect the people and cultural traditions of India. From the onset of this production, our team enlisted the help of campus professors, students, and the Indian Community of Tallahassee. As a yoga teacher and practitioner, I had weekly discussions with my Guru in India as well as with many of my beloved friends living in this beautiful country. The cast also took part in a weekly yoga practice where we learned several mantras, the significance past the asanas, music and so much more: all of which you will see tonight. This process has been more than just a collaboration of theatrics. We have collaborated across cultures and across the world with the goal of creating an openness for discussion and an educational opportunity for the people of Tallahassee. Ultimately, I see Rikki Tikki Tavi as a story about families. Families that come in all shapes, sizes, animal kingdoms, and cultures. Home is where we make it and where those who love us fight for us. India became a spiritual home for me – a place where my spirit felt truly at peace. Rikki and her friends will fight for that home tonight. The qualities Rikki represents — courage, loyalty, and perseverance — are wonderful qualities for us all to emulate, no matter where we are from.”