Collaboration with San Francisco School of the Arts

Maria Lexa at SOTA

Maria Lexa created and directed two productions at San Francisco School of the Arts (SOTA): Demeter and Persephone in March 2010 and Krishna and Radha in May 2011. Both productions were performed outdoors at the SOTA quadrangle and were invited to the San Francisco Young at Art Festival in Golden Gate Park.

Maria Lexa collaborated closely with Keith Carames, English teacher and head of the Technical Theatre department at SOTA, and with his world literature classes, who performed in the productions.

Mythology is central in the study of world literature at SOTA, and integrating the arts with academics is a vital part of SOTA’s mission.

The vision was to deepen the students’ experience of mythology by recreating the myths through performances involving theatre, dance, masks, large puppets, storytelling and live music.

Demeter and Persephone is based on the Greek myth of Demeter, goddess of the harvest, and her daughter Persephone, goddess of the spring, who is carried off by Hades, the god of the underworld. Krishna and Radha is based on the mythology of India, recounting stories from the life of Krishna, one of the most revered gods in the Indian pantheon, and his consort Radha. Together, Krishna and Radha are known as “the Divine Lovers”, who bring balance in nature and creation.

In July 2009, Sun & Moon Ensemble participated in a production of The Wiz, directed by Keith Carames, produced by Spindrift Schoolof Performing Arts (SSPA), and presented at Oceania High School in Pacifica, CA. Maria Lexa created a stunning new puppet, “the Kalidah”, and choreographed a scene with it involving several actors, which was a highlight of the show.