Kutiyattam's unique contribution to theatre architecture is the impressive theatre structures constructed of wood and stone crowned by massive roofs of copper or tile housed within selected temple compounds. This presentation traces the development of an interactive program on Kutiyattam authored on HyperCard, from a classical Sanskrit manuscript intended to be published as an illustrated book to the present HyperCard stacks in which QuickTime movie inserts, scanned slides, photographs, and sound, as well as textual material, have been integrated. The multimedia application focuses on stylized gestures which are an essential part of the language of performance, unique patterns of chanting which represent a character's mood and emotion, physical exercise and massage that are used to develop an actor's stamina, discipline, and flexibility, eye exercises and facial express- ions which permit performers to convey the deeper meaning of the performance text, and the musical accompaniment which shares an integral place in the performance event. The presentation will also explore some of the notable problems encountered working with HyperCard. Just reading plays and discussing how they are performed, as is so often done in western theatre classes, will not do.
Asian theatre requires experiencing, preferably first hand.
We are fortunate in this country that so many troupes of Asian performers have come to our shores in recent years. Yet, for many around the United States, the only way to experience Asian theatre is through books, films, and videotapes. Now we have before us an extraordinary new way to present and access Asian theatre material. Multimedia computers promise to put vast quantities of material at the fingertips of our students. The storehouses of many years of private collections may potentially be available on CD-ROM and Internet.