“Bhopal has deep roots in theater, but unfortunately, it has remained limited to stage performances.” Senior theater artist Morris Lazarus stated on Monday during a play presentation and discussion session held at Dushyant Museum that theater in schools is considered an option and is limited to annual programs. During this session, Morris shared his views on ‘Theater in Education - Situation, Importance, and Necessity in Bhopal City.’ Ujjwal Sinha, trained from NSD (TIE), also shared his views at the session. The programme, organised by Ensemble Theater-in-Education Society, was moderated by senior theater artist Vivek Savirkar.

 

During the discussion, Morris said that theater is a significant aspect of complete education through which confidence, communication skills, and creativity can be developed in children. While discussing the practical aspect of theater in education, Ujjwal Sinha said that when they started regular weekly theater classes at the college level, they received better results. Students who hesitated to speak started communicating confidently on stage. Ujjwal stated that theater is not just acting but teaches the art of living life. There is a yearning for this among students in Bhopal; it just needs the right direction and structure. Regarding challenges and future possibilities, Ujjwal said that if theater is linked to the syllabus in schools and colleges and teachers are trained for it, we can make a significant contribution to the overall personality development of children.

 

Prior to this, the play “Vakpatu,” which depicted the importance of relationships, humanity, and sensitivity in society, was staged. The play, focused on folk tales, was directed by Wasim Khan. Through their acting, the artists beautifully presented the evolving relationships among family members through humor and disagreements. The presentation in the play was given by the students of Ensemble Art and Drama Club. Notably, all the artists gave their first stage performance. Through this approximately thirty-minute presentation, the director provided the audience with an opportunity to laugh and be amused, while also conveying the message of not considering anyone weak. The play showed how a woman, considering herself clever, plays with the emotions of others. However, after some time, the woman herself gets caught in her own web and eventually regrets her actions. Under the two-day program, the play “Katha Collage” will be staged on Tuesday. Directed by Ujjwal Sinha, the play will be presented by the students of Art and Drama Club. The play will begin at 7 pm.