Theatre is a powerful medium of communication and children are always encouraged to take the stage to express themselves. As World Theatre Day is celebrated on March 27, it is important to stress on this young yet very enthusiastic age group of artistes that grow into young artistes of the future. Theatre has the power to send out social messages through its entertainment-packed dramas. This form of performance is staged in different languages in Goa and in different settings too, like the night long Jagor or Zomnivhelle Khel tiatrs. There is always love for these performances and youngsters are still attracted to be part of drama troupes in Goa.
Children are energetic and innocent and bring their own vibrancy to any art form. Theatre is one medium where they can let out their emotions through their respective roles. Goa has no shortage of performing arts, with various forms of theatre like the tiatrs, nataks, khel tiatrs and sangeet nataks, there is a huge potential and great scope to encourage children to pursue theatre. Many children are now acting and singing in professional commercial tiatrs as well. This stage gives them the confidence for better performances in the future. In Goa, one is treated to different forms of drama like tiatr and natak, both equally entertaining and musical.
Porvorim based actor and theatre art teacher, Shantaram Pawar is currently working for Department of Art & Culture. The department deputes Shantaram to teach drama in various schools. He has been teaching at Chubby Cheeks Spring Valley High School, Pilerne, St Anthony's High school, Monte De Guirim and Dona Leonor Memorial High School, Alto Betim. He has also conducted theatre workshops for children and adults organized by Kala Academy, Bal Bhavan and Tiatr Academy.
“Over the years, there has been more enthusiasm among the students as there are a lot more competitions being organised. However the trend of watching nataks and tiatrs has not started yet. If they do attend, they can easily learn where they can improve and what mistakes should not be committed on stage. Currently, the schools have only one class of drama per week which is not sufficient for the students. But once they complete their Class 12, if they are really interested they can pursue a career in films and theatre at Kala Academy Goa's College of Theatre Arts or even National School of Drama. The headmasters of various schools should give their full support for children who participate in different theatre competitions,” says Shantaram, who was awarded the second place for the Best Direction at the 49th Tiatr ‘A’ Group Competition 2023-24.
Theatre art teacher, Kevin D’Mello has been working in training children and youngsters for over a decade. He teaches students at St Bartholomew's High School, Chorao, Shree Ganesh High School, Ganeshpuri, Mapusa, People's High School, Camurlim, Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School, Arambol and St Aloysius High School, Divar. As an actor himself, he loves to encourage the students to take up acting to boost their stage presence and confidence. “Theatre was added an optional subject for work experience in schools in 2008 and it is for students of Class 8, 9 and 10. There are a good number of students who opt for the subject and they are a different persona when they take the stage. Many teachers are sometimes surprised to see shy children act and sing. I encourage the students to speak up and express themselves. Many doing get this opportunity,” says Kevin who trained children for a skit on social media which was highly appreciated and performed at the annual social gathering.
Kevin also worked with David Furtado who directed an eight minute film, ‘A Mistake - need of an hour to be corrected’ with the focus on how children drive on the road and how they should be taught a lesson before it is too late. “The short film had a cast of Atharv Shirodkar, Prinson Colaco, Divyatmai Tamhankar and Vansh Palyekar who were my students. Atharv and Divyatmai are students of Shree Ganesh High School. Ganeshpuri, Mapusa. Prinson is a student of St Bartholomew's High School, Chorao and Vansh is a student of Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School, Arambol. They were awarded the Spandan Youth of India Award for their acting in the short film,” adds Kevin. Kevin’s two students, Ajit Yadav and Neha Upadhay are already acting in short films and theatre after completing their higher education.
At the recently held Kala Academy organised 49th Tiatr ‘A’ Group Competition 2023-24, Ayaan Naik who played the role of Ben in the tiatr, ‘I Love Goa’, won the Best Child Artiste (Male) award. The tiatr was directed by Tomazinho Cardozo for Kala Mogi, Candolim and Ayaan’s father Shiva played the role of his father in the tiatr. Candolim-based Ayaan is the son of Shiva and Mayuri, both stage actors and besides football, acting is Ayaan’s passion too.
A Class 3 of Don Bosco High School, Ayaan started acting when he was just a toddler. Mayuri recollects his steps on the stage, “My mother Shubhangi Shirodkar directs the plays at the village temple zatras with all the young village boys and girls. Even my husband and I have acted in these Marathi nataks that are written with stories based on Lord Krishna and mythological characters. Ayaan was only two and a half years old when he acted as Lord Krishna in the natak. Since then, he has always been a part of the nataks annually and this year, he played the role of Narada.”
This was the first time Ayaan acted in a tiatr and the story was based on how a family returns to Goa from London. As the drama troupe was also Candolim-based, it made Ayaan more confident on the stage, that too in the company of his father. “Ayaan enjoys acting in Marathi, Konkani and English plays. He is enthusiastic in participating in fancy dress competitions an loves watching movies and nataks,” says Mayuri.
Pio Esteves has been a part of the Children’s Tiatr Competition for seven consecutive years. His focus is always on encouraging the village children first which gives the Agassaim children an advantage to act in his dramas. This year too, his drama, ‘Pocket Money’ was staged at the competition and the same was performed a week before exclusively for the villagers. “There are some children who are very enthusiastic in singing while a handful focus on acting. This show had 23 children from the village who go to different schools around Agassiam. It is easier to train them and they are comfortable for practising too. The children have to be below the age of 16 years to participate in the Children’s Tiatr Competition but once they grow up, they go on to participate in the college level competitions. Joshua Pereira is one actor who is now performing for a different age group. Some children continue acting for 2-3 consecutive years depending on their age. I always tell my children artistes that winning is not important but participation is more important. And they all work in that direction,” concludes Pio.