The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : 1,000th show at Ranga Shankara

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Thursday, Sep 06, 2007
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1,000th show at Ranga Shankara

Staff Reporter

1.75 lakh people have watched plays at the theatre

Bangalore: Ranga Shankara will soon host the 1,000th performance on September 12 with the staging of “Pampabharata” by Samudaya, one of the oldest theatre troupes, according to Arundhati Nag, the force behind the successful theatre experiment.

Speaking to presspersons here on Wednesday, she said that Ranga Shankara has been able to achieve this milestone in less than three years since its inauguration. “Given that there are 905 theatre days (the theatre is closed on Mondays) between its opening on October 27, 2004, and September 12, 2007, we have averaged more than one show a day. This way, we have exceeded our primary target of hosting a show every day,” she said. On September 12, Ranga Shankara would have staged 1,000 shows of 332 plays. As on August 31, 1.75 lakh people have watched plays staged here in more than 15 languages.

Playwright Girish Karnad said Ranga Shankara gave birth to a new concept of theatre. “The management is top-notch, probably the best after Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai.” With Ranga Shankara, people have been able to re-discover Kannada culture and Kannada theatre.

Rohini Nilekani, chairperson, Akshara Foundation, said that Ranga Shankara is a complete theatre. She praised the efforts made by Ranga Shankara in organising children’s theatre festivals.

B. Jayashree, theatre person, was present.

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