VISAKHAPATNAM: A three-year-old boy mimicking a dinosaur, displayed expressions of happiness, sadness, and shock. A six-year-old nearby portrayed an old woman in distress, while another young boy acted as her son, reluctantly leaving her at another son’s house due to financial constraints. A young girl, meanwhile, played the role of a wealthy woman reprimanding her servant.
All these scenes, enacted by children under 15, are part of the theatre art classes held at Ranga Sai Nataka Grandhalayam by the Navarasa Theatre Arts Association, where participants learn life lessons, paving way for physical and mental development, through the art of theatre.
In today’s fast-paced, digital world, traditional methods of personal development often receive little attention. The Navarasa Theatre Arts Association, led by double gold medalist and Nandi Award winner PV Ramana Murthy, is striving to provide a richer, more holistic experience for children and adults alike. The association offers exclusive classes in basic conversation, emotional expression, life lessons, discipline, respect, and social interaction.
Murthy has been in the field of theatre for over 30 years and has been conducting these classes for 13 years now. This year, the association held a free summer training camp starting on May 1, where 20 children were introduced to theatre arts. These young participants learned voice modulation, breathing techniques, and the expression of basic emotions like happiness, sadness and anger.
The workshop goes beyond entertainment, teaching discipline and observational skills and holding a mirror to societal behaviour. “Theatre arts teaches the discipline of life. It makes people observant and helps both individuals and society by reflecting societal behaviours,” said PV Ramana Murthy.
The primary goal of these workshops is to provide children with a break from academics and engage them meaningfully during their summer break. However, the acting classes offer much more than just acting lessons. They foster personal growth and social interaction.
One girl, who initially struggled to make friends, learned to interact with and understand others through these classes.
Children from diverse backgrounds, including economically disadvantaged families and juvenile homes, learn to treat each other with respect and equality.
“Drama is one of the few art forms that can teach life lessons through entertainment in an engaging way. Our main motto is to keep the art of theatre alive while instilling valuable lessons in people,” Murthy expressed.
The Ranga Sai Nataka Grandhalayam in Visakhapatnam, founded by Badamgir Sai, is a haven for artists and students, and houses rare books and resources related to theatre arts.