BENGALURU : While the world of theatre seems to be moving swiftly towards the digital medium, theatre veterans are still struggling to get a hang of the new normal. The result has been loss of income. Sanchaya Theatre Production, which has been producing plays for three decades, is starting an initiative called Sanchaya Cares to support elderly theatre artistes with a minimum stipend. For this campaign, they are recording some of their iconic plays, which will then be ticketed and streamed from Oct. 2.
Krishna Hebbale, convenor of Sanchaya Cares, says it’s an effort to support industry veterans. “This is our turn to the help those have given their lives to nourish this art form. The artistes we are trying to help are elderly. It’s difficult and unfair to expect them to learn technology,” says Hebbale, adding that through this project, their aim is to give `3,000 to 30 artistes for the next three months.
This effort has been supported by Sandalwood actor and director Pawan Kumar, through his Filmmakers United Club website, where all the plays are going to be streamed. “I have already worked with artistes from Sanchaya Theatre before. This effort aims to create a stipend for elderly artistes who have lost their jobs during the pandemic,” says Kumar, who created Filmmakers United Club during the pandemic to bring together like-minded filmmakers and audiences.
The theatre group is coming up with five plays on its launch day, including Shradha Matu Stainless Steel Paatregalu; Neeru Kudisida Neereyaru, which is a Kannada version of William Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor; and a Kannada interpretation of Tempest. The tickets are priced at `400 per show if bought before Oct. 2. Beyond that, the shows will have a standard price of `500. The prices will differ for people logging in from different countries.
“Since it is for a cause, we are also looking for donations too. There is an option for people to increase the ticket prices too,” says Hebbale. The plays are going to be on the website for three months minimum till they refresh it with new plays. “Even if the plays are going to be on the site for a few months, it’s the first 2-3 weeks that matter the most. That’s why we are trying every possible way to spread the word,” says Hebbale.
The plays will stream on the official website of Filmmakers United Club, Oct. 2 onwards.