每日大赛 Communications Department Teams with Renowned Puppeteer to Produce Ramayana Video
The 每日大赛 Communications Department and LVTV-3 teamed with well-known puppeteer to produce a video of a classic Indian puppet show, the .
Torribio, a 聽Pomona resident, has been performing an English language adaptation of the Ramayana for more than 20 years.
鈥淭he story has great relevance today, because it speaks of how when people get power there is always the temptation to abuse it,” Torribio said.
Communications Professor Don Pollock, who served as video producer, and Communications Department Operations Manager Shane Rodrigues 鈥�94, video director, produced an earlier video of the Ramayana with Torribio.
鈥淭hat one was a lot of fun,鈥� said Rodrigues. We spent all night in someone鈥檚 backyard in West Covina shooting it.鈥�
Torribio recently spent a month in Myanmar (Burma), where she met with many top puppeteers. Torribio said puppetry was outlawed in Myanmar for more than 20 years.
鈥淪ome of the puppeteers were using their shows to criticize the regime. Lately there鈥檚 been a revival of the art in Myanmar,鈥� Torribio said. 鈥淚 learned new techniques and brought back a number of new puppets.鈥�
When Torribio told Pollock about her visit to Myanmar and what she learned there, Pollock was anxious to shoot a new video of Torribio鈥檚 updated adaptation.
鈥淧enelope takes this classical Hindu story and makes it accessible to American audiences. She incorporates humor and music and gears the show toward kids,鈥� Pollock said.
The Ramayana is a poem that originated in India and tells the story of Rama, a legendary prince whose wife, Sita, is kidnapped by the evil king, Ravana.
Rama and Ravana engage in an epic battle. Rama prevails and returns home to be crowned king. The Ramayana is known and performed throughout Southeast Asia in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia.
鈥淥ne version was 27 hours long,鈥� Torribio said. 鈥淎nd the performers never left the stage.鈥�
Torribio brought 50 of her puppets 鈥� a fraction of her 600-puppet collection 鈥� to the LVTV studio for filming.
Torribio manipulated the puppets with the help of her husband, Gerry, son-in-law, Brian, and granddaughter, Ava Azarmi.
The video crew included ULV Communications Department assistant Claudia Gonzalez 鈥�13, LVTV station manager Ken Pucci 鈥�92, LVTV Production Coordinator Art Samano, and LVTV assistant Dwayne McClendon.
