E-Natya Chaupal @thedramaschoolmumbai
Tracking the Theatrewallahs
Like the head nod to gestures, the term theatrewallah is unique to the Indian performing experience. It doesn’t just mean actor or director or even theatremaker. It doesn’t refer to the light designer or sound engineer, stage manager or prop manager, the person handling tickets at the box-office or the one bringing in the fresh round of chai at 5 PM. It’s not the kindly dhobi ironing clothes in the green room or the gullible usher welcoming the guests with a smile. It’s not the one signing the cheques or even the one filling the bank account.
A theatrewallah is none of the above.
And yet, a Theatrewallah is all of it.
And the one thing that a student of theatre in India must know, is to respect and learn from the Theatrewallah.
This is why The Drama School, Mumbai doesn’t just focus on stagecraft. For our students to be able to immerse themselves in the theatre experience, the module insists that they spend sometime with a theatrewallah of their choice. In the corporate world, this process would be called an mentorship. At DSM, we call it theatreseeking.
In June, we bring you 3 of our best theatreseekers from Batch 2014-15. They will present their understanding of 3 theatre lives to an attending and virtual audience at an E-Natya Chaupal moderated by none other than Deepa Punjani, editor of the Mumbai Theatre Guide.
Roshan Mathew, Niketan Sharma and Mandira Bahl – DSM Alumni – will share the backstage stories of three really interesting people.
Sitaram Kumbhar, or Sitaram mama, the intrepid doer of all things at Awishkar Theatre. He is the keeper of keys and the maker of rules, as Roshan describes him. His 46 year journey in theatre is the humbling story of a man who came to came to Mumbai in the 60’s, sold sugarcane juice and vegetables of a cart, lifted and built sets, rang the bell and is managing the stage and so much more for the actors at Awishkar.
Dalit Activism in India has often used the arts to express its anger, pain and aspirations. And in recent times, at the forefront of this movement, has been Sambhaji Bhagat. The man who inspired and then composed the music for the movie Court is the subject of Niketan’s theatreseeking.
And the final presentation of the evening will be about Mandira’s time spent with Paresh Daru. From the J. J. School of Art to revolutionizing set design in Gujarati Theatre, Paresh Daru is an award-winning veteran who can inspire not only with his work but also his life.
So, come on in, or join us online to celebrate lives in theatre and theatre in life. See the real person behind a persona, understand and acknowledge contributions of every name on the credit list, and begin in your own way to learn, consume and seek.
Dates: 24th June
Time: 4.30 PM
Venue: 5th floor, Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh, Girgaon, Charni Road East, Mumbai.
Call: 9619336336 / Mail to: info@thedramaschoolmumbai.in
Entry Free
