RUBÉN POLENDO
(USA/MEXICO)
Artistic Director, Theater Mitu
Program Director, South India Artist Intensive
Instructor: Theater Mitu's Whole Theater Workshop

Rubén Polendo is artistic director of Mitu; recently applauded as “one of the ten top, hot companies in New York” and “exciting…outside the boundaries of standard Western drama” (The New York Times). Polendo has written and directed several works with his company including: Canticle, The Legend of The Kinnaree; The Ramayana; The Mahabharata; The Odyssey; Four Saints in Mexico (inspired by G. Stein); Catholica; But Above All...(inspired by A. Chekhov). Adaptations include Hamletmachine (inspired by H. Muller); The Shakespeare Project (an adaptation of Macbeth and King Lear); The Noh Cycle (inspired by Zeami); The Tutor (based on texts by Brecht and Büchner), Dhammashok (as developed at the Sundance Theater Lab and presented as part of The Mark Taper Forum ON STAGE series). Most recently, Mitu developed their new piece, DRC (or how I learned to act in eight steps) at the Sundance Institute’s Theater Laboratory in Yulee, FL. This past year, Rubén directed Sister Sarah Brother Sky (an adaptation of Guys and Dolls) at NYU’s Playwrights Horizons Theater School, directed Blind Mouth Singing, a production with the National Asian American Theater Company and wrote and directed Moonchild, a production with New York University’s Graduate Acting Program. Previously, Mitu staged and produced Ahraihsak in New York, premiered two pieces in Bangkok, Thailand (and adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and a devised piece entitled String of Fragmentation), and (in collaboration with New York University’s Drama Department) produced an adaptation of the American musical Hair. Polendo and Mitu’s work has been seen in various theaters in New York and regionally including: New York Theatre Workshop, The Public, INTAR, Blue Light, Lincoln Center Director’s Lab, A.C.T., McCarter, Mark Taper Forum, The Alliance, Ensemble Theater of Cincinnati, Perseverance Theater and South Coast Rep. Polendo holds a Biochemistry Degree (Trinity University), an MFA in directing (UCLA School of Theatre) and an MA in non-Western theatre (Lancaster University, UK). Other credits include: Co-director of Theater Mitu’s Bangkok Summer Artist Intensive (Patravadi Theatre, Thailand); European Artist Exchange Award (The Salzburg Festival): Eastern European Artist Exchange (Romania). Polendo and various company members teach Mitu’s Training Methodology called Whole Theater at several institutions including NYU/Playwrights Horizons Studio, Juilliard, Bard College, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, National University of Mexico, Patravadi Theater/ Bangkok, CUNY- Graduate Program. Ruben Polendo is Artistic Associate at New York Theater Workshop where Mitu is presently Company-in-Residence.

P.V. SIVAKUMAR GURUKKAL
(INDIA)
Instructor: Kalarippayattu (Martial Arts)

P.V. Sivakumar Gurukkal started his training in Kalari, Yoga and Traditional Kalari treatment at the age of 6 under the guidance of his father Great Yogacharya Malabar P.Vasudevan Gurukkal. He did his first performance at the age of 6 and has never looked back, performing all over India and abroad and gaining rare reviews. He has achieved various awards for performing and teaching Kalari and Yoga. He was invited to be a member of the International Olympic Committee of India in 1996, he trained in gymnastics under Mr. N. Lawrence from 1987-1992, he trained under the STED Project for Ayurveda Massage and Preparation of Ayurveda Medicines in 1997, he trained under Mr. Andrew Wolfex of Switzerland in the Chinese system of foot point massage, he has specialized in traditional Ayurvedic Treatments and Massage under Dr. K. Blakrishnan, Dr. K.V.M. Warrier and Sudhakaran Gurukkal at Kozhikode and Malaparambu, he specialized in Nerve Point Manipulation in the Agastya System of Marma Shasthra under Guru Ramachandran at Vellathukotta, Tamilnadu, India, he has been on the jury at many government-held Kalarippayattu Championships, he was the first tutor the Kerala Government's Kalarippayattu Academy for Tribal Children at Wayanadu, Kerala, India, he has performed at the Little World Museum of Man in Nagoya, Japan, he had an exchange program with the Police Headquarters in Inyoma, Japan for self-defense, and he has been part of many All-India Martial Arts Festival Exchange Programs in Kung-fu, Karate and Kalarippayattu, held in Tirupur, Chennai, India. He is presently engaged in popularizing the ancient martial art of Kerala-Kalri, Yoga and traditional Kalari Ayurveda Marma treatments in different parts of the world with his team, under the supervision of his illustrious father, Yogacharya Malabar P.Vasudevan Gurukkal. Now engaged in the choreography of "Lasyat Thandavam," a contemporary work of combining and unifying the beautiful movements from Kalari and Mohiniyattam--the female classical dance form of Kerala. It is the first of its kind in the world.

SWAPNA SIVAKUMAR
(INDIA)
Instructor: Mohiniattam (Classical Indian Dance)

Swapna Sivakumar is, at present, learning Kalarippayattu and Yoga under Yoga Acharya Malabar Vasudeven Gurukkal and working for Lasyathandava group, formed by P.V. Sivakumar Gurukkal. She was trained at the Mohiniattam Gurukulam and learned from several Gurus, including Smt. Kalamandalam Kalyanikutti Amma, Smt. Bharati Shivaji, Kalamandalam Kshemavathi and Smitha Rajan. She has also collaborated with many dance companies from around the world, including Shoranji Kemo by Kirti Futnani from Chennai, Eugune Ballet Company, USA, Sutra Dance Company, Malaysia and Expressions Dance Company, Australia.

LIJA VASUDEV
(INDIA)
Instructor: Carnatic/Ragas (Classical South Indian Music)

Lija Vasudev has had in-depth exposure to Carnatic Music and holds a "Ganabhushanam" in Carnatic music. She has also had 15 years of teaching Carnatic music and is currently working as a music teacher at Devamatha Central School, Bangalore. She is currently learning Hindustani music under the Guru Monisha Sen.

KALAMANDALAM RATHEESAN
(INDIA)
Instructor: Kathakali (Theater Form)

Kalamandalam Ratheesan, son of renowned Kathakali artiste Oyoor Kochu Govindan started his training in Kathakali at the tender age of six from his father and later joined Kalamandalam for further training. He was awarded the National Scholarship by the Government of India and had the opportunity to train under a great teacher, the late Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair. He joined Margi in 1984 and has performed in almost all countries in Europe and Asia.

ELLEN REID
(USA)
Resident Artist, Theater Mitu
Instructor: Contemporary Fusion - Theories in Music

Ellen Reid is a composer, performer, and adventurer. Some of her recent projects include composing for and conducting a 60 person choir for the United Nations in Bangkok, musical directing at the Patravadi Theatre (Bangkok), composing a piece for Jerry Spinelli's "Love, Stargirl" (Random House Book Video Awards), and creating the song and sound worlds of both Canticle (NYU Tisch/Theater Mitu) and Death of a Salesman (Theater Mitu). Ellen went with Theater Mitu to Sundance Theater Lab at White Oak (2007) and Robert Wilson's Watermill Center (2008). Ellen has studied and performed Northern Thai Drum Dancing, piano, West African Dancing (with Alvin Ailey's Maguette Camera), Hindustani vocal technique, and computer music with musical pioneer George Lewis. She graduated from Columbia University.

JUSTIN NESTOR
(USA)
Adjunct Artist, Theater Mitu

Justin Nestor serves as an Adjunct Artist with Mitu and has acted in several projects including: Death of a Salesman (Willy Loman), Hair (NYU/The Skirball Center), workshops of Saint (blank) and Mexico City, and DRC (Or How I Learned to Act in Eight Steps) at The Sundance Institute's Theater Laboratory at White Oak. He has also collaborated on pieces such as The Apostle Project and Sister Sarah Brother Sky (Playwrights Horizons Theater School). Having graduated from NYU's Tisch School of The Arts he is now working as a teaching assistant at Playwrights Horizons Theater School for classes teaching Mitu's training methodology of Whole Theater. Along with his studies at NYU and PHTS he has spent time studying Tibetan Buddhism and performance in northern India as well as with the company in Thailand. Other acting credits include: Willie/Snyder in Howard Fishman's We Are Destroyed, Kulygin in Three Sisters (Columbia Graduate Dept.), Abu Hassam in There Was and There Wasn't (NYU), Neil in Fair Fight (NYU/PHTS), Last Days in Vegas (PHTS), Oedipus in Seneca's Oedipus (PHTS), Mr. Bundy in Mr. Bundy (PHTS), Burrs in The Wild Party (The Culture Project), Doctor/Trouble in In The Blood (PHTS), God in Three Mystery Plays from The York Pageant Cycle (PHTS), Wounds to The Face (Room5001).

DETAILS AND INFORMATION:
(Please click on the following pages for further information:)
CLASSES
TEACHER BIOS
ABOUT THEATER MITU
ABOUT VISTHAR
VISA, TRAVEL, MEDICAL AND INSURANCE INFORMATION
GRANTS AND FUNDING INFORMATION
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
PAYMENTS