MYSURU: Indian Theatre Foundation’s Indian Institute of Educational Theatre led by theatre director and activist Prasanna will be organising ‘Rastriya Makkala Rangotsava’ - National Children’s Theatre Festival - from September 19 to 24 in Mysuru. Around 50 plays will be staged in Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and Ramanagara districts during the six-day festival. Sarod maestro Pandit Rajeev Taranath will be inaugurating the theatre festival on Hardwicke PU College premises on Monday.
After releasing the festival poster on Saturday, Prasanna said, “Kannada theatres are losing audience. Today, cinemas and television serials have become audience’ favourite. Glued to their screens at home, the audience are no longer coming to theatres, forcing theatre artistes to search for employment elsewhere,” he said. Thus, we started the Indian Institute of Educational Theatre, said Prasanna.
“Through the educational theatre, we want to ignite the imaginative minds of the children to boost their creativity. Also, children can learn our language, culture and vocabulary better through the theatre. Otherwise, they will be limited to learning everything through cellphones,” he said.
The plays performed by adults for children, by children for children, book fair, educational theatre conference, exchange of ideas on children’s literature and mural exhibitions will be a part of the festival.