Many Moons Festival Rises At TU

A Chinese opera, a short film marathon and martial arts demonstrations are among the highlights of this year's Many Moons Festival.

The fifth biennial event on Sunday is the signature showcase of Towson University's Asian Arts and Culture Center and the center's director, Suewhei Shieh, says she's celebrating by doing everything entirely differently. No previous performers are coming back.

"All the performers are new. I didn't want any of the artists to come back this time. They are very good, but I think the audience deserves new things, so everything, all the dancers, all the musicians, are new," she said.

A Nepalese dance performance will feature Prem Raja Mahat, a folk musician who Shieh likens to Bob Dylan, if Bob Dylan played the sarangi (an Indian string instrument) and managed a Himalayan restaurant in Baltimore's Locust Point.

With such a diverse Asian diaspora to cater to—Shieh's programs draw from Japan and China to India and Sri Lanka—she says the greatest challenge is trying to balance them all and still "trying to make it exciting to keep the audience busy."

And despite so many things going on, she still expects many of the six theaters in use to fill up.

"That is the saddest part. And so they will not let you in [if the theater is full], even if you are dying to see it. So people had to be turned away. So because of that, I wanted them to be able to have something, another theater to go to," she said, adding with a laugh, "If they can still not find something to do, it's not my fault."

To help the anticipated crowd of 3,000 find something to do, besides the theater and dance performances, the festival will also host a food court, an art opening, animated short films and a vibrant arts and crafts area, which Shieh said is a huge hit with the younger set.

"Some children just never leave. They never leave for four hours just to try every craft table," she said.

Tickets at the door are $20 for adults or $10 for children. For advance tickets, call Towson University's box office at 410-704-2787 or visit their website. Parking is free.