Claudia Orenstein's guest appearances

Claudia Orenstein

The Theatre History Podcast

Robert Davis

James White

Isaac Butler

Bryan Doerries

Lorraine Hansberry

Edith Wharton

Adam Roberts

August Wilson

Howard Sherman

Jack Viertel

Charlotte Cushman

Paul Walsh

Brian Eugenio Herrera

Amy Hughes

Amy Cook

OwlTail

Tolpavakoothu is a traditional form of shadow puppetry from Kerala, in southern India. Like many similar performance traditions, tolpavakoothu faces an uncertain future because of social and cultural changes. However, it’s facing up to those challenges in some unique ways. Dr. Claudia Orenstein of Hunter College joins us to explain what tolpavakoothu is, and to introduce us to the Pulavars, the family of puppeteers who are finding new and surprising ways to keep their tradition alive while bringing it into the twenty-first century.

<p>Tolpavakoothu is a traditional form of shadow puppetry from Kerala, in southern India. Like many similar performance traditions, tolpavakoothu faces an uncertain future because of social and cultural changes. However, it’s facing up to those challenges in some unique ways. Dr. Claudia Orenstein of Hunter College joins us to explain what tolpavakoothu is, and to introduce us to the Pulavars, the family of puppeteers who are finding new and surprising ways to keep their tradition alive while bringing it into the twenty-first century.</p>

Episode 57: Dr. Claudia Orenstein on the Evolving Art of Tolpavakoothu