Katha Dance Theatre (KDT) presents the world premiere of THE RUBAIYAT – LIFE IN A DAY, based on the poetry of Omar Khayyam. The haunting, melancholy musings of the Persian philosopher-poet are brought to life in vivid detail by choreographer Rita Mustaphi (KDT founder/artistic director) and the company dancers of Katha Dance Theatre. The new work will debut Friday-Sunday, November 7-9 at the Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts, 528 Hennepin Ave. in downtown Minneapolis. The Rubaiyat, a collection of mystical, highly symbolic poems, deals with the essence of the divine and the fleeting nature of life. Nearly a millennium after the poems were written, their lyrical beauty and well-crafted rhyme and meter continue to speak evocatively to readers. In this all-new production, KDT will explore the fiery spirit of The Rubaiyat's original poems and the inner hidden meanings of some of those verses that continue to attract a worldwide audience. The Rubaiyat - Life in a Day features the KDT company dancers (Sarika Haris, Priya Jain, Rtusha Kulkarni, Nivedita Sahni, Mukta Sathe, Anurag Sharma, Monica Singh and Rita Mustaphi along with 5 interns). The Rubaiyat - Life in a Day features an exciting cast of guest artists, including composer/vocalist Maryam Yusefzadeh, actor/musician David Jordan Harris, composer/multi-instrumentalist Tim O'Keefe, violinist David Stenshoel, guitarist Thomas Nordlund, and flutist Dawn Doering. The artist-media team of Craig Harris and Candy Kuehn bring the classic poems into lustrous focus, providing design projections and digital Illustrations. Tickets to The Rubaiyat are $25-$30 with discounts available for senior, student and groups. Tickets can be purchased online at www.cowlescenter.org or by calling the Cowles Center Box Office at 612-206-3600. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. This project is also supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, the McKnight Foundation and generous support from members of Katha Dance Theatre's Donors.