The performance is based on the legendary, twelfth-century Javanese-Balinese tale called the Calonarang. Rangda, meaning “widow” in Balinese, gets her name from this story in which a Balinese king marries a Javanese queen who later causes his death through sorcery. The queen, now a widow, is exiled along with her lovely daughter. Angry that no nobleman wants to marry the daughter of a witch, the widow causes death and destruction throughout Bali.