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Shadow Puppets: The Song of Phra Aphai Mani and the Island of Love and Sorrow
February 27 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Free
Experience Thai and Indonesian classical literature through shadow puppetry, live music, and storytelling. This performance blends an episode from Phra Aphai Mani, Thailand’s epic poem by Sunthorn Phu, with the Sumatran folk tale of the Tragedy of Island Kemaro.
Drawn by the haunting sound of a flute performed by Phra Aphai Mani, the merchant Tan Bun An arrives at the magical Koh Kaew Phitsadan, where friendship, devotion, and fate intertwine. Later, when Tan Bun An’s love for the Princess of Palembang goes unheeded, tragedy follows.
The tale is accompanied by an immersive gamelan soundscape performed by Edy Panjaitan, a Ph.D. candidate in Interdisciplinary Arts. Through shadow, sound, and movement, this performance invites audiences to reflect on the fragile balance between music, destiny, and the human heart.
Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.
Friday February 27th, 2026 at 6:30 PM in Baker Center Theater
