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GAUTHAM PRASAD

Country: INDIA/USA

Mime & Physical Theater Coordinator

Story: I recently found out that it took me a while to learn how to speak. I guess it makes sense! I grew up watching largely silent cartoons like Tom and Jerry and, my favorite, The Pink Panther. As I grew older I enjoyed silent comedians like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. I decided to study theatre at Northwestern University where I discovered the Northwestern University Mime Company under the direction of Bud Beyer. I eagerly auditioned and was rejected. I auditioned again in January of 1999 and was accepted. A few months after joining the company I had a chance to attend a two-week intensive workshop with Marcel Marceau in New York City. My firm interest in mime eventually led me to Paris where I studied with Maximilien Decroux, son of Etienne Decroux. I worked with him privately in the same basement where his father virtually created the art of mime. Since then I have been writing my own material, tirelessly preparing for performance.

Career: While in New York I was teaching Mime at Peridance Center. In addition, being a certified Ashtanga yoga instructo,r and in need to survive in the city, I have been teaching at Sonic yoga and at Prana yoga. As soon as I arrived in New York, I felt the need to start performing my own repertory. My work has been presented at Manhattantheatresource (Singularity Stage 03 Festival), Hatch at Jennifer Muller/The Works and Peridance Center Faculty showcase among other venues. I was beside myself and still I can't believe this when I was asked to join the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus with which I am currently touring.

Gautham and MNE: Gautham was invited to share his artistic vision with Mare Nostrum Elements in October 2002. Since then he's the Yoga, Mime and Physical Theater coordinator and guest leader.

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