What do Cirque du Soleil, yoga, acrobatics, aerial dance, masks, live original music and ancient Indian literature have in common? BOXTALES Theatre Company’s latest production, OM, An Indian Tale of Good and Evil. Company member Matthew Tavianini recently sat down with Leslie Dinaberg to tell us about all it.
Leslie Dinaberg: So what is OM, An Indian Tale of Good and Evil, about?
Matthew Tavianini: It’s BOXTALES’ adaptation of the Ramayana, which is an old Indian epic story. It’s from 2,200 years ago by a poet, Valmiki. But there are discrepancies about whether he really wrote the thing because it’s about 22,000 Sanskrit lines; it’s really a big volume. So he might have had help or there might have been some oral tradition that got passed down and added.
It’s our interpretation of that using acrobatics, Cirque du Soleil, yoga. We actually have some bungee that we’re going to be using — a lot of movement that is traditionally in our BOXTALES work, mask work and regular acting styles. … A writer from UCSB — a Kennedy Center Award winner for her playwriting — is also in it, acting and writing the script.
LD: What’s her name?
MT: Allie Menzimer. She has taken our outline that Michael Andrews, Jeff Mills and I have done … and she is using that and the rehearsals to develop the script.
LD: Is that the usual process to bring in someone else?
MT: No, it’s not, actually. Usually the director, Jeff, Michael and I talk about the script and then one of us — or all of us — creates the script beforehand.
… This was a whole new thing working with UCSB; they are kind of co-sponsoring the show with BOXTALES, and we get to use the studio out there for rehearsals and then we get to use some of the students.
LD: What about the name, OM? Is there a connection to using that word for yoga?
MT: Yes. The story is about Rama and Sita and the quest for Rama to defeat the evil lord Ramana. Basically he’s Vishnu incarnate, he has come down and has become man because man is the only being who can defeat Ramana. No god can defeat him. So Rama and Sita get banished from the kingdom and they decide to live a life of austerity and follow the path of dharma, do what they need to do to keep in connection with the gods.
There is an element, a big element in terms of being holy, keeping connection with god, being devout to what you believe in, ensuring all of the temptations of the world and all of the glitter and glam of being a prince in a kingdom. The philosophy behind the story is very spiritual. We’re also bringing ritual into the piece and so you’ll see some sort of devotion to certain kinds of gods or just practices of yoga that give reverence to a higher being. Yoga’s a big part of India and now it’s huge in America so we thought that would be a good link.
LD: For those who aren’t familiar with BOXTALES, can you give us an overview?
MT: I’ll just say our mission: BOXTALES uses masks, live music and movement to bring mythology from all over the world and a theatrical experience to adults and children alike.
We’re really focused on other cultures’ mythology. We try to use movement and mask and live music because we believe kids have an innate intelligence that we don’t always recognize as older adults, in terms of how they pick up things. They can pick up complex metaphors, we have found, almost better than adults because adults have lost the ability to use filters now. Kids are … like sponges, they can see things and react to them immediately — whatever their feeling is when they see it. We tend to use a lot of imagistic stuff in movement and masks because it doesn’t give the whole story; it gives part of the story so kids will use their imaginations to fill in the other part. … It’s more of an active way rather than a passive way of engaging your audience.
We have found it to be super effective. When we go to schools, people are always commenting on how lively the shows are, how much the kids are sitting on the edge of their seats watching and excited, and not distracted by other things. That to us is a good indication that we’re capturing their imaginations and their attention.
LD: Absolutely. So how did you come up with this idea for BOXTALES?
MT: Michael Andrews and Michael Katz and Joseph Velasco founded the company in 1994. Back then the idea was to bring some mythology to life. … Then it just caught on. People really loved the idea and they decided to do it again and then they got some sponsorship and schools got interested. Then it just kind of grew from there …
LD: When did you come in?
MT: Eight years ago.
LD: I know you guys all do other creative things. What else do you do?
MT: I’ve taught some Shakespeare workshops, stage combat workshops at the junior high schools, after-school programs teaching drama and theater. Basically, anytime I can come in for a week to a drama class, teach a little acting, Shakespeare, I love doing that.
LD: Your work is so different because you’re creating something from scratch.
MT: Yes, this is a lot more time-consuming and there’s a lot more at stake because you don’t have anything to fall back on. Every day we go to rehearsal, we rely on our imaginations to give us ideas.
LD: Do the audiences respond differently if they’re primarily kids versus kids and adults?
MT: … I think the kids definitely respond more openly and freely, and with more gusto than adults. Adults will sit back and use their thinking brains to understand it intellectually. Of course, they’ll be laughter at certain points, but I think kids respond to a lot of things within the piece that may not have the adults give an active response.
[Noozhawk’s note: Performances of OM, An Indian Tale of Good and Evil will be held at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido, at 8 p.m. Oct. 1, 2 and 3, and at 2 p.m. Oct. 3 and 4. Click here to purchase tickets or for more information.]
Vital Stats: Matthew Tavianini
Born: July 25, 1965, in Monterey Park and grew up in Downey
Family: Parents deceased, two older brothers in Los Angeles
Civic Involvement: PAL (Police Activities League)
Professional Accomplishments: Actor/performer for more than 30 years; actor, producer, collaborator and staff member of BOXTALES Theatre Company for the past eight years; graduate of UCSB and the Florida State University Asolo Conservatory where he received his M.F.A. in acting.
Best Book You’ve Read Recently: The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. And the Ramayana, as well; it’s an amazing story.”
Little-Known Fact: “I love Volkswagen Karmann Ghias.”
— Noozhawk contributor Leslie Dinaberg can be reached at leslie@lesliedinaberg.com.