New Hope Theatre
Introduction: New Age plays are down-to-earth, actor friendly and interactive. They're also popularizing theatre says Puja Goyal.
Article: Theatre has been the underdog of entertainment world for the past years, having a limited audience and growth prospect when compared to exorbitant and glamorous fashion and rock shows.
The past few years have seen a consistent upward development in theatre; more plays are performed now than before. Theatre, which is seen as an art form and a medium of entertainment, is now a tool for all-round development of personality.
This is 'New-Age Theatre'; performing on stage is not limited to entertainment, it is being included in school curriculums. The medium is also used for self-expression and means to release stress, development of communication skills and building confidence.
Raza, who has been performing on stage for the past ten years, and is presently working with Black Coffee, humorously says, "…It is the only place where you can be a schizophrenic and not be treated for it!"
On a serious note Raza adds that… "Theatre changes your outlook towards life, it gives a lift to confidence and helps you deal with people and situations… theatre can teach you a lot".
New-Age Theatre is about giving a chance to new artists, and is more accepting of innovations and has a certain hint of being abstract. The plays staged are down-to-earth, actor friendly, interactive, addresses local issues and are insightful.
There are deficiencies that haunt amateur theatre. Most artists are stifled because of non-availability of sponsorship and the availability of 'space' where the actors can rehearse… problems that can be effectively tackled with proper planning.
Corporates on the other hand are inhibited about sponsoring theatre. They want to know what is in it for them and what is the mileage they would receive. They are ready to sponsor shows that encourage large audiences. To a certain extent, they're more encouraging to known theatre personalities than amateur artists.
The commercial viability in theatre is limited. You can make a living out of it depending on how you approach theatre but making money shouldn't be the ultimate aim of performance. The ultimate aim of any performance should be performance.
The present generation has a blend of talented artists and individuals who are overawed by its glamour. There are individuals who stage sub-standard plays resulting in dilution of talent and this very act is making a lot of older professionals angry. Raza does admit that he is no one to make a value judgment on individuals who shell out mindless sub-standard plays. He very candidly adds that they might stage sub-standard plays but they shouldn't expect him to sit and watch it.
Theatre involves dedicated effort, hard work coupled with talent. Raza is very encouraging to youngsters dreaming of performing on stage, he says, "Go for it! But take it for the right reasons. There is no glamour involved and is a lot of hard work. Be very critical of your work and set your own standards."
There is still a certain kind of evasiveness to the profession which amateur artists like me and professionals like Raza are trying to figure out… the discovery of the very evasiveness might just be the key to growth of popular theatre, resulting in frequent commercial performances.
Article: Theatre has been the underdog of entertainment world for the past years, having a limited audience and growth prospect when compared to exorbitant and glamorous fashion and rock shows.
The past few years have seen a consistent upward development in theatre; more plays are performed now than before. Theatre, which is seen as an art form and a medium of entertainment, is now a tool for all-round development of personality.
This is 'New-Age Theatre'; performing on stage is not limited to entertainment, it is being included in school curriculums. The medium is also used for self-expression and means to release stress, development of communication skills and building confidence.
Raza, who has been performing on stage for the past ten years, and is presently working with Black Coffee, humorously says, "…It is the only place where you can be a schizophrenic and not be treated for it!"
On a serious note Raza adds that… "Theatre changes your outlook towards life, it gives a lift to confidence and helps you deal with people and situations… theatre can teach you a lot".
New-Age Theatre is about giving a chance to new artists, and is more accepting of innovations and has a certain hint of being abstract. The plays staged are down-to-earth, actor friendly, interactive, addresses local issues and are insightful.
There are deficiencies that haunt amateur theatre. Most artists are stifled because of non-availability of sponsorship and the availability of 'space' where the actors can rehearse… problems that can be effectively tackled with proper planning.
Corporates on the other hand are inhibited about sponsoring theatre. They want to know what is in it for them and what is the mileage they would receive. They are ready to sponsor shows that encourage large audiences. To a certain extent, they're more encouraging to known theatre personalities than amateur artists.
The commercial viability in theatre is limited. You can make a living out of it depending on how you approach theatre but making money shouldn't be the ultimate aim of performance. The ultimate aim of any performance should be performance.
The present generation has a blend of talented artists and individuals who are overawed by its glamour. There are individuals who stage sub-standard plays resulting in dilution of talent and this very act is making a lot of older professionals angry. Raza does admit that he is no one to make a value judgment on individuals who shell out mindless sub-standard plays. He very candidly adds that they might stage sub-standard plays but they shouldn't expect him to sit and watch it.
Theatre involves dedicated effort, hard work coupled with talent. Raza is very encouraging to youngsters dreaming of performing on stage, he says, "Go for it! But take it for the right reasons. There is no glamour involved and is a lot of hard work. Be very critical of your work and set your own standards."
There is still a certain kind of evasiveness to the profession which amateur artists like me and professionals like Raza are trying to figure out… the discovery of the very evasiveness might just be the key to growth of popular theatre, resulting in frequent commercial performances.
Copyright © 2004 Puja Goyal
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