World Theatre Day celebrated
Artistes presenting a cultural programs.on the occasion of the World Theatre Day at Hanumantharaya Grandhalayam in Vijayawada
Vijayawada : Drushya Vedika Samskrutika Samstha, an esteemed audience club, organised the World Theatre Day in collaboration with Sumadhura Kala Niketan and Andhra Arts Academy on Thursday at Sri Velidandla Hanumantharaya Grandhalayam Hall here.
Observed globally on March 27 every year, the World Theatre Day was initiated in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute (ITI) to celebrate the power of theatre in society. On this occasion, national and international theatre events are held worldwide, and each year a renowned theatre personality is chosen to deliver a special message to artists across the globe.
This year, Terzopoulos, a distinguished theatre director, educator and author from Greece shared an inspiring message emphasising the theme “Theatre and Peace with Culture.”
The primary objective behind organising this event was to engage a maximum number of artistes from Vijayawada, offering them a platform to showcase their theatrical talents through skits, mono actions, and life sketches. The event featured stellar performances from various theatre groups like Harsha Creations, EVS Kala Samithi, Sagar Theatre Arts and AP Secretariat Women Welfare Association who presented thought-provoking and entertainment skits such as Gajalakshmi Pellichupulu, Sanmanam, Bank Loan, Swargam and Bakara.
Notable artistes including Kathi Syam Prasad, Evana Ramesh Babu, Dwadasi Chandrasekhar, Malleswara Patnaik, E Vijaya Sagar, Evana Bhagyaraj, B Anjaneya Raju, Ayachitula Ramakrishna, G Roopashree, G Satya Nandini, Anitha, TNK Chandrika, KNS Aparna, LN Lakshmi, G Subhashini, S Jyothsna, V Suhasini and R Bharathi Krishna captivated the audience with their impressive performances.
The event also featured mythological mono acts by Naren Borra as Karna, LSRK Prasad as Duryodhana, Aaradhya as Draupadi, historical mono act Balachandrudu by BKNS Prasad and contemporary social performance Bharateeyudu by P Sai Sankar.
One of the evening’s highlights was the unique ‘Kavita Abhinayam’ (Postman) - a poetry-based performance penned by renowned poet Tilak, brilliantly portrayed by noted artiste YS Krishneswara Rao. Prior to the performances, Dr Gumma Sambasiva Rao delivered an insightful narrative on the evolution of drama from Sanskrit theatre to the present day.
Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Nataka Academy Gummadi Gopalakrishna, who was chief guest, praised the initiative, calling it a great beginning in uniting theatre artists on a single platform. He assured that the government will continue to encourage and support theatre arts.
The programme was conducted by Hemadri Prasad, while Dontala Prakash (Vice-president, Drushya Vedika), P Vijaya Bhaskara Sarma (Secretary, Sumadhura Kala Niketan), Neelam Durga Rao (Secretary, Andhra Arts Academy), Dr D Kailasa Rao, Joint Secretary, Sumadhura Kalaniketan and Padmasree, Secretary, Drusya Vedika played a crucial role in organising the event.
The event received tremendous applause from the audience, reaffirming the significance of theatre not just as a form of entertainment but as a powerful medium for social and cultural education.