By: Dr Tania Saili Bakshi
Pic Courtesy: Anjali Rana
Dehradun, 10 May: With an aim to foster aesthetic understanding of the technique of theater, acting nuances and its diverse dimensions within the community, culture and society, Young Indians, Dehradun (Yi Dehradun), CII, in association with Valley of Words, is all set to host the second edition of ‘ItiNatya,’ the theatre vertical of the Valley of Words literary festival with esteemed educational institutes from the Doon valley.
Keeping in sync with the G20 theme of “One Earth, One Family, One Future”, ItiNatya has carried the baton forward, ‘Hum’ being the theme for this year’s edition. The half-hour plays that will be staged at this annual theatre championship will showcase the theme of unity, bonding and friendship. The scripted plays will be in Hindi, English as well as Sanskrit. ItiNatya promises to be a fun-packed, open access event that will be held at Hari Singh Auditorium, IGNFA, FRI Campus, this coming Sunday from 9 a.m. onwards. The top two school performances will receive the honour of performing at the Valley of Words Signature Festival that hosts renowned authors, artists, and critics from around the world in early November.
Welcoming participating schools, Kapil Anand, Chapter Chair – Yi Dehradun said, “Young Indians, Dehradun, is pleased to welcome schools to the Second Edition of the ItiNatya Theatre Competition promoting art, culture and theatre on the theme focusing on unity, diversity and friendship based on the background of India’s G20 Presidency. Wishing participating schools the very best and looking forward to some interesting theatre.”
Having grown in leaps and bounds since its first edition that was successfully held in October last year, which witnessed participation of over 150 students from six leading schools of Dehradun and Mussoorie, this year, the number of participating schools had to be tapped at ten for the one-day event. Customised for students aged 13 and above, the stage will not only provide an understanding of performing arts techniques, but will also aim to nurture young performers with artistic talent to develop imagination and hone their creativity skills as theatre weaves magic into a child’s being.
Looking forward to seeing the young actors ignite the stage with their performances, Valley of Words Board Member and Curator, Jyoti Dhawan said, “ItiNatya in its 2nd edition has seen an overwhelming response with participation of 10 leading schools of the Doon Valley. It provides teenaged students a platform to explore challenging social scenarios and vulnerable emotions in a safe and supportive environment. Performances can help to develop empathy for the experiences of others and explore diverse perspectives.”
The team owes special thanks to staff and students of Doon Global School, Doon International School, Greenwood Hills, Him Jyoti School, Maa Anandmayee Memorial School, Mount Litera Zee School, Shri Ram Centennial School, St Kabeer Academy, The Oasis School and Touchwood School for coming forward and making ItiNatya annual theatre festival a possibility.
