‘Hit the Stage’: Mumbai theatre course invites participants to find their voice

Attendees at a practice session centred on therapeutic drama techniques. Pics Courtesy/Aadesh Sharma

Theatre does not always begin with a script. Sometimes, it begins with letting go, finding your voice and allowing yourself to play. Goregaon-based Vydushak Creative Arts Foundation presents Hit the Stage, a month-long, production-oriented theatre certificate course that invites participants across different age groups to discover theatre beyond the pressure of performance.

Designed by its founder-director Aadesh Sharma and co-mentored by creative director Disha Thanky, the course brings together young artists, students, professionals and theatre enthusiasts in a space where expression takes precedence over performance. "They don't have to be an actor to enjoy theatre," says Sharma.

The youngest participant in the course is all of five years old

The sessions draw on creative and therapeutic drama techniques, using body language, voice, imagination, ice-breakers and team-building exercises to help participants ease into the process. They may explore movement, revisit memories, imagine difficult conversations or put emotions into words that may otherwise remain unspoken. The sessions are held at the Whistling Woods International campus in Film City, with Aadesh Sharma and his professional team serving as the mentors.

"As they open up, they start gelling," informs Sharma. The exercises gradually bring the group together to create a script rooted in their collective experiences. "We will focus on the script that fits the narrative of the group of people and explore those characters," he adds.

Aadesh Sharma

For Sharma, the workshop offers young artists a way to keep creating between projects. "You get one project and then it takes a while to get another," he says. Vydushak gives artists a space to explore their craft while continuing to engage with theatre.

Hit the Stage is one of three segments of Vydushak Natya Mahotsav. The festival also features one-day workshops for those who cannot commit to a month-long programme, alongside a showcase of Vydushak's four original productions: 6 Feet Apart, A River Moving through Desert or Busstand, Neem Hakeem Kharta-E-Jaan and RajKachori and the Time Machine. The productions bring together young artists and experienced theatre professionals.

TILL October 20; October 27 (show) AT Artisan Coterie, Chikuwadi, Malad West.
LOG ON TO vydushak.com
CALL 8295222691
ENTRY (revealed upon registration)