Stage Ensemble Theater Unit (SETU) presents a dramatization of the Mahabharata, the world’s longest and most complex epic. SETU (www.setu.us) is a non-profit community theater from the Boston area. Mahabharata is SETU’s 10th production since its inception in 2003.

The mission of SETU is to build bridges between Indian and Western cultures through the medium of theater. Over the years SETU has brought several well-known plays from India mostly written in Indian languages to Boston audiences in English. Notable few are Kamala written by Vijay Tendulkar, Hayavadana written by Girish Karnard, Mareech, The Legend written by Arun Mukherjee. It also presented Rape, Regret and Retribution, written by a local author Subrata Das.

SETU provides an excellent opportunity to local artists to showcase their talent; not just in acting but also in set design, lights, sound, music, production, and marketing. Since all the performances are in English, the cast and crew are from all parts of India coming together to present some glimpse of Indian culture to the Boston audience. Several local actors and talents have also participated in SETU’s productions when character demanded someone other than an Indian actor.

This year SETU is bringing the Mahabharata, which showcases India’s literature, history, sociology, religion, and philosophy like nothing else to the Boston’s audience. The core of Mahabharata is a feud between two dynasties over a throne that ended up in a war. So grand was the scale of destruction resulting from the war that often it is metaphorically compared with a modern-day nuclear holocaust. Mahabharata is not a work of religious instruction. It is much greater; it is a work of art. Political, philosophical, and socio-cultural messages of Mahabharata remain universal and timeless.

The script for the play is adapted from works of Peter Brook/Jean-Claude Carrier, Rabindranath Tagore and Syed Iman. With 100,000 poetic verses, composed almost 5000 years ago in 18 books, and about 8 times the length of combined Iliyad and Odyssey, it's impossible to do any justice to Mahabharat's enormity and complexity in two hours. Hence, SETU is using Indian tradition of Sutradhars (Narrators) who would connect various episodes from the great epic to create a thorough experience of the play.

Four shows are scheduled at the Arsenal Center for Arts in Watertown, MA on Friday September 7th at 7 pm, Saturday, September 8th at 2 pm and 7 pm, and Sunday, September 9th at 6 pm. Tickets are available at http://www.eventedge.biz/​mb and http://​setumahabharata.eventbrite.​com. Please visit our web site www.setu.us for more information.

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