Centre stage

Around 80 one-act play competitions are arranged in a year across the state. However,the pattern of competitions is more or less the same. “We want to break this pattern and contribute something new to the Marathi theatre,” says Prasad Purandare,president of Theatre Academy. “It is an attempt to provide a new sentiment to the theatre that will necessarily be experimental in its approach,” he adds.

Theatre Academy has always trodden on the path of new forms of theatre and set the trends with productions such as Ghashiram Kotwal,Mahanirvaan,Padgham and Begum Barve. If we try to find a common thread among these productions,music was an integral part of all of them without which any of these plays were incomplete. “In all these plays music was equally important as a medium of expression. We want the new generation to find this expression,” says he.

“It however doesn’t mean that somebody should copy the traditional Sangeet Natak or other such efforts in the later stages of development of Marathi theatre. We want the new generation to present their issues or their own sensibilities; but through the musical one-act play format where music will come as an integral part of the play,” he adds.

“The script should be fresh and actors should sing live on live music. The format of music may vary from Hindustani classical to pop or rock,but it must be new and should be a part of the script,” said Purandare. “If a team can include other forms of fine arts besides music,it will also be welcome. The time limit of the play however should not exceed 60 minutes,” smiles he adding,“Besides actors,we are also looking at music composers and lyricists to come up with new ideas. The whole challenge will be merging the music and songs seamlessly with dialogues.”

Any theatre group or college in the state can register their entry for the competition to be held from January 9 to 15 at Yashwantrao Chavan Natyagruha,Kothrud. The last date for registration is December 20. While the first prize for the best one-act play will be Rs 50,000,second and third prizes include cash awards of Rs 25,000 and Rs 15,000 respectively.

Besides team prizes,there are individual prizes for actors,directors,singers and composers too. The finals will be held at the end of January for which Madhuri Purandare and Chandrakant Kale will be the judges.