The stage is set for an electrifying display of talent at the Children’s Theatre Festival 2024, where 15 school teams will vie for the title of best Hindi drama performance. Rehearsals were held on September 13 and 15 at Gothic Hall, Gaiety Theatre, under the guidance of renowned theatre personalities Amala Rai and Jawahar Kaul. The creative team, which included experienced directors Neeraj Prashar, Sanjeev Arora, and Sohan Kapoor, assisted the students during these intense sessions.
The big day when all these teams will perform in front of our esteamed chief guests from the worl of theatre, Sohaila Kapoor and Sushmita Mukherjee, and family and friends during the three days festival dated 27-29 September, 2024, two week from now.
The senior artists conducted an in-depth discussion on several key aspects that would shape the performances, which focused on idea/plot/script which outlined the essence of each play, aiming for originality and depth in storytelling. They spoke about parameters including creativity, coherence and execution. Emphasis was placed on clear dialogue delivery, expressive emotions and dynamic body movements. Both Rai & Kaul further reviewed how each scene was interpreted, dialogue timing and actor positioning. The further encouraged student-led creations, with a focus on how well the props served the story and their seamless integration into the performance.
The importance of sound in setting the mood, conveying time, place, and action was discussed with each team while giving them important suggestion for improvement. Tips on make-up and costume should be well thought of based on the design aligned with characters, enhancing the overall narrative.
In two days, they watched all the 15 plays and gave important inputs to further enhance the performances of all the teams. This competition promises to be a celebration of youthful imagination and theatrical artistry, where each school will showcase their creative efforts and unique interpretations of Hindi drama.
Participating teams and details of writers and stories being performed:
ऑकलैंड स्कूल फॉर बॉयज़, शिमला; भारती कुठियाला – मृगतृष्णा
ब्लू बेल्स स्कूल, ढल्ली, शिमला; सुमित राज – ऋृण
चैप्सली स्कूल, भराड़ी, शिमला; सुदर्शन वशिष्ठ – नेत्र दान
दयानंद स्कूल, शिमला; रेखा वशिष्ठ – बिल्लियाँ
गवर्नमेंट सीनियर सेकेंडरी स्कूल, कदौर, शोघी; रतन चंद रत्नेश – खेत में कनक
गवर्नमेंट मॉडल गर्ल्स सीनियर सेकेंडरी स्कूल पोर्टमोर, शिमला; सुंदर लोहिया – मिलते जुलते चेहरे
लक्ष्य पब्लिक स्कूल, अर्की; प्रियंवदा शर्मा – नाम का महत्व
लक्ष्य कॉन्वेंट स्कूल, मंज्याट; गंगा राम राजी – कबूतर
लौरिएट पब्लिक स्कूल, शिमला; एस एन जोशी – छठा मेज़
पाइनग्रोव स्कूल, धरमपुर, सोलन; राजवीर – परिवार और माँ
पाइनग्रोव स्कूल, सुबाथू, सोलन; सुजल शर्मा – एक नन्ही सोच
संभोटा तिब्बतीयन विद्यालय, शिमला; तरुण ठाकुर – किस्मत
सरस्वती पैराडाइज इंटरनेशनल पब्लिक स्कूल, शिमला; विभूति – द क्राउन इज माइन
सेंट एडवर्ड स्कूल, शिमला; रणजोध सिंह – धर्मराज के दरबार में
स्वर्ण पब्लिक स्कूल, शिमला; उषा बंदे – एक सुझाव – छोटा सा
Click link for this Theatrical Journey