"Ranga Sangitya" brings theatrical dreams to reality

"Ranga Sangitya" brings theatrical dreams to reality

Mangalore Today News Network

Manipal, May 27, 2015:  "Ranga Sangitya", a theatrical  10 day camp is the platform for all amateur acting aspirants irrespective of age from, in and around, Manipal.   The unique experiment to meet performing neds  unfolds here within the four walls of Manipal Junior College.

The camp, May 17 to 28, will see the last day exclusively for exposure of talents in the form of stage shows.  The camp a brain child of  renowned theater director Dr Sripad Bhat has set up four different concourses for aspirants. The children will have unique opportunity to be trained, besides an occasion to expose their talent.  Women too have good chances to perform and are in the main stream.

The other forecourt is open to all irrespective of age wherein participants include from age group of 16 to 52.  The concept of ’Ranga Sangitya’ was evolved to realise the greatness of theatre performance,  as a basic educational instrument.  He said education is not only within four walls,  real concept of education should be without boundaries and beyond the horizon.  Extracurricular education enhances personality development among children.

A State wide attempt is being made to gain from the experiment. It is an attempt to introduce education in theatre and vice versa. The trainees are exposed to ground realities of theatre and they are taught various facets of performing art. The aspirants from the surroundings are taking part to refine their acting craftsmanship, he added.

The theatre plays preformed include ’Preethiya Kalu’, ’Mahila Baratha’ and ’Papu Bapuvada Kathe’. Nearly 45 students, in the age group of 10-16, take part in ’Preethiya Kalu’.

While another 15, in the age group of 16-25, perform in ’Mahila Baratha’. There are nearly 50 to 60 in the age group of 16-52, who are trained in the last session of the day, which extends to late night.

Camp coordinator Prasad Rao said ’Papu Bapuvada Kathe’ is the novel authored by renowned writer Boluvaru Mohammed Kunhi. The entire script is retained in the scriptural form and is not being transformed into theatre dialogues, he added.   The play ’Papu Bapuvada Kathe’is the story of Mahatma wherein the great soul, preaches the worth of love. In the play, all children perform Gandhi.

It is unique in the sense that Gandhi is not conceptualised through appearance, rather Gandhi is being revealed as the state of mind. Aneesh and Veena who share roles of Mahatma say the camp is training for collective living.   It is an education imbibed in the layers of fun and excitement. It is a true challenge and potentially aspires to higher values.