For the last 20 years, the Department of Academy of Theater Arts, established in the year 2003 in Mumbai University, has been following a discipline that students should perform for the students and general audience as a part of their curriculum. Students have to stage plays in different genres and showcase their talent. While we, the professors, chip in as directors, established directors are invited to direct them once in a while.
This is part of their training. The idea is to introduce the students to the varied theatrical genres via these performances. Also, exposure to outside directors helps understand the game.
Most often we prefer folk art or folk theater as it enables the students to understand the art and express themselves. These performances are a part of their exams as well. Where it all began For the last four years, I was thinking that I should do a play on the life of Vithabai, a veteran lavani dancer with an eventful life, with the students of the Academy.
For the first time, we decided to do this play in February 2020. We had began to rehearse as well. Milind Hate was doing the music for the play and Megha Ghadge was going to do the choreography.
But due to Covid-19 pandemic, the rehearsals were stopped. So, this year, when I got an opportunity to plan a play with the first year students, I chose Vithabai written by Sanjay Jeevane. Who was Vithabai? Vithabai is an unmistakable name on the stage of tamasha art.
She was a lavani empress, who has been ruling th.
