In a bus filled with stage props, equipments and make-up, a group of 10 amateur theatre artists set out for their first-ever performance. The discussion has a tinge of nervousness as they discuss their experiment combining a mix of songs, dance and acting to be presented in front of a 600-strong audience. However, the three month long training in theatre helped them give a fine performance at Warangal which was evident from the encored.
Theatre outreach unit programme, established in 2012 is an initiative by the Department of Theatre, University of Hyderabad(UOH). The eight month long ‘artist in residency’ program recruits students who are enthusiastic about theatre and gives them a scholarship of `15,000 per month. Vilas, a student of the programme says, “Previously I would recite dialogues by rote, but after joining the program I was trained in various forms of theatre forms -- local, national and international -- which improved my acting skills and performance.”
The unit is the brain child of Peddi Rama Rao, an assistant professor at Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University. “Generally theatre is restricted to the elderly. Youth and children who constitute more than 50 per cent of the population think of theatre art as boring. Due to this theatre is losing its significance. We have started this unit to revive Telugu parishat, train young theatre enthusiasts into professionals and sensitise people by bringing the art to them,” he observes.
Apart form acting the department trains students in stage lighting, sound-arrangement, make-up and other aspects of theatre production. “Finally after completing this program our students become professionals in the art and they will be ready to lead a group and perform plays on their own,” says Peddi Rama Rao.
The programme which is funded by Sir Ratan Trust, not only trains students in theatre, it also provides a platform to stage productions in primary schools, colleges and other community centres across the state. Within six months of establishing the unit, the group came up with its first production titled Miss Meena. When asked about the progress in the initiative Peddi Rama Rao says, “We have already performed 60 shows of Miss Meena in 49 towns and villages viewed by more than fifty thousand audience.” The unit has screened two shows of its second play titled “Adventures of Chinnari” which is produced specifically for primary school children.
The unit is housed at Golden Threshold (GT), UOH. “Before some years,GT was home to many artists. One of our aim is to revive GT as a centre of culture, where artists can use the space to practice and perform” Says Peddi Rama Rao.
B Ananthakrishnan, Dean, Department of Theatre, UOH says “The philosophy of our department is not to limit students to academics and to sustain theatre in society. We try to portray realities of life through live medium. Our plays, which are directed by alumni of our department are about power politics, human relationships.”
“After Andhra Pradesh, we are plan on taking the play to Odisha and Tamil Nadu in collaboration with local artists,” says Ananthakrishnan.