Vandana Bhagra, Shimla
The vibrant spirit of theatre and storytelling echoed through the historic walls of Gaiety Theatre’s Conference Hall on Thursday, July 3, as Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla hosted the Skill-Building Workshop for participating teams’ school teachers as part of their annual Bal Rangmanch Mahotsav – Inter-School Hindi Drama Competition – 2025, Season 3. Organised as a precursor to the main drama festival, the full-day workshop brought together drama mentors, educators, and theatre professionals for a powerful exchange of ideas, techniques and inspiration. The finale of the event will be held from 3rd to 5th October in the Gothic Hall of Gaiety. The Special Guest for the event is noted actor Vineet Kumar along with eminent theatre personalities, Avtar Sahni, Suresh Sharma and Anita Pandey who will preside as the jury members. (CLICK TO SEE ALL VIDEOS)
With nineteen schools participating this year, from Shimla and surrounding regions, the event proved to be a dynamic platform for theatrical learning and cultural expression. Among the schools in attendance were Swaran Public School (Tutikandi), Saraswati Paradise International Public School (Bhattakufar), ECI Chalet Day School (near High Court), Ivy International School (Bhattakufar), Monal Public School (Sanjauli), Sambhota Tibetan School (Chotta Shimla), Lakshay Public School (Arki), Lakshay Convent School (Manjyat, Arki), GSSS Kadaur (Shogi), St. Thomas Public School (Artrac), Roots Country School (Bhagi), GSSS Sarog (Theog), Laureate Public School (Bharari), Durga Public School (Solan), Bharti Public School (near Chail), Auckland House School for Boys (Lakkar Bazar), Auckland House School (Lakkar Bazar), GSSS Portmore (near KNH), and Delhi World Public School (Kandaghat). Young creative directors who will be working with the various teams are Shruti Rohta, Neeraj Parashar, Naresh K Mincha, Rupesh Bhimta, Sanjeev Arora and Hemant Attri.
The workshop commenced with an engaging morning session led by renowned theatre artist Srinivas Joshi and documentary filmmaker Vivek Mohan, who addressed the art of story scripting, writing, adaptation, and direction. Srinivas Joshi also narrated a short story and encouraged the participants to transform it into a stage-ready script on the spot. This interactive exercise not only showcased the creative instincts of the teachers but also opened up a space for collaborative storytelling. He then listened to summaries of the plays each school plans to perform during the Mahotsav, offering constructive insights on adaptation techniques, structure, and theatrical relevance. Vivek Mohan followed with a detailed exploration of stage direction and blocking, re-emphasising the need for precision, attention to detail, and an understanding of space, character movement, and timing in stagecraft. His focus on performance as an immersive art form encouraged participants to go beyond surface-level acting and instead dig deeper into character interpretation and rehearsal discipline.
In the post-lunch session, theatre veterans Jawahar Kaul and Bhupinder Sharma took centre stage to guide the participants through the technical aspects of theatrical performance. They spoke about elements such as lighting, sound design, costume, props, and set management, drawing attention to how technical design elevates storytelling on stage. Both resource persons emphasised the importance of collaboration between teachers and students in adapting stories effectively. They encouraged the mentors to structure focused rehearsal sessions, supported by regular theatrical exercises to build voice control, body movement, improvisation, and emotional expression. Practical tips and demonstration-based learning created a highly engaging atmosphere, leaving educators equipped with actionable methods to improve student performances.
The Bal Rangmanch Mahotsav Workshop not only enriched the pedagogical approach of teachers involved in school theatre but also set the tone for a high-quality inter-school competition. It highlighted the power of theatre as an educational tool, one that builds confidence, creativity, communication, and cultural appreciation among students. As the festival continues in the coming days, the lessons from this workshop are expected to reflect in the nuanced performances staged by participating schools — each one a testament to the transformative magic of drama in education.
