News Board 2006
12th Jan, 2006 Theater Utsav - 8th Bharat Rang Mahotsav
Play: Karnnabharam
Venue: Sammukh, New Delhi
Time: 02.00 PM, Jan 12, 2006 
6th Jan, 2006
News Board 2005
National and International Workshops/workshops conducted by Lokadharmi
Lokadharmi conducted a Voice workshop by internationally known Theatre Director, Actress and Actor trainer from USA , Ms. Lissa Tyler Renaud, Ph.D. on "Breath & Speech Melody: Towards Vocal Design"; Date : 11th Feb - 13th Feb, 2005; 9 AM to 6 PM.
This workshop for actors opens with new approaches to warming up the body, heightening our sensitivity to the expressive possibilities of the breath. Explore ways to maximize the pitch range and dynamics of the speaking voice; actors learnt skills for engaged voice listening and speech notation. As a final project, actors were assigned to apply their new information to any dramatic material of their choice.
About Lissa Tyler Renaud: Lissa is an award- winning and working actress, a master teacher of both Acting and Voice, a recognized director, a dedicated alignment practitioner and a published writer-scholar. Along with her proficiency in many foreign languages, Lissa Tyler is also established her expertise in the domain of music and dance.
- International Seminar on Theatre
Topic: "Regionalism, Nationalism and Internationalism in Theatre"
On 7th February 2005 Lokadharmi conducted an International Seminar in collaboration with Creative Writing - at Hindi Department Auditorium, Cochin University . Eminent Scholars like Lissa Tyler Renaud (Actress, Actor trainer and Director from USA, H.S.Shivaprakash (Renowned Kannada Poet and Play Wright; Currently Professor in Aesthetics and Arts, JNU New Delhi), R.Raju (Director, Prof. in Performing Arts, Central University Pondicherry), K.G.Paulose ( Renowned Sanskrit scholar, Chairman of Lokadharmi), Chandradasan (Artistic Director Lokadharmi), Rajendran (NSD, New Delhi), T.M. Abraham (Playwright and Director), Sreemoolanagaram Mohan (Secretary, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy), A. Aravindakshan (HOD, Dept of Hindi, CUSAT), Ameet Parameswaran (JNU, New Delhi), Priyaranjan (JNU, New Delhi), Madan (Lokadharmi) were participated and presented papers.
Date : 29th November 2004 to January 2005.
Venue: Changampuzha Park Edappally.
Lokadharmi organized a production workshop with R.Raju from Pondicherry as the Director. This production workshop is made possible with the support of RRC NSD Bangalore.
“Madhurai Kanda” by the famous Kannada playwright Dr. H. S. Shivaprakash is the play selected for this workshop production. The play is about the last chapter in the story of Kannaki in Silappadikaram; but narrated in a totally different perspective which is open as well as demystified. A group of stone workers gets the central place in the play sidelining the episodes of Kovalan and Kannaki. Along with R. Raju, playwright H.S.Shivaprakash, Director of Lokadharmi-Chandradasan and all other members of Lokadharmi participated.
- Workshop on Actor Training
Lokadharmi organized 'a workshop on acting training' aiming to address the issues involved in actor training in specific and performance in general. The structure of the workshop includes practical sessions and interactive discussions based on acting training methods developed by Grotowski, Lecoque and also the forum theatre of Augusto Boal aimed at community development. Also there were sessions on voice training, movement and improvisation.
Date of Workshop: 9th and 10th of December, 2004
The resource persons of the workshop are the renowned theatre practitioners Ralph Yarrow, John Martin, and Aduuoa Dickson.
Dr. Ralph Yarrow , Professor, School of English and American Studies, University of East Anglia , Norwich , England , is well known theatre academic and practitioner in UK . He has 20 years of working contacts in India and his major area of research is Indian theatre. He directed and acted exclusively in French and in English. Latest publication is "Indian Theatre: Theatre of Origin, Theatre of Freedom".
John Martin, the world renowned actor trainer worked with major actor trainers in the world including Lecoque and Grotowski. He is the Director of Pan-Asian theatre project in London who is also trained in various performance and Martial art traditions in Asia . Recently he published a book on his method of training.
Aduuoa Dickson is a dancer and musician.
15 Selected actors participated in this workshop.
Lokadharmi collaborated with International Centre for Koodiyattam, Tripunithura, and Changampuzha Samskarika Kendram Edappally to organise AN EXPERIENCE WORKSHOP ON INDIAN ACTING WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON KOODIYATTAM.
Date : 25th November to 28th November 04.
15 selected performing artists from contemporary theatre and classical forms like Kadhakali, Koodiyattam, Ottan thullal; dance forms like Mohiniyattam, Bharatha Natyam etc participated and experienced the Indian approach to acting.
The workshop inaugurated by Balachandran Vadakkedathu the secretary of. Kerala Kalamandalam on 25th November. T.M.Abraham (Vice president, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy , Sreemoolanagaram Mohanan (Committee member, Kendra Sangeetha Nataka Academy ), Dr K.G.Paulose, K.Balachandran, Kalamandalam Kesavan, Chandradasan and Margi Madhu (Workshop director) were participated in the inaugural function.
The workshop sessions were as follows on 26, 27, and 28.
7.30 AM - 9.00 AM; Session 1 - the stance and exercises in Koodiyattam training (nila, postures, body and looks, Chuzhippu and other exercises, Kalari method of training)
10.00 AM to 11.30 AM ; Session 2 -. Movement in Koodiyattam (Kaal sadhakam, Charikal, movements)
2 AM to 1.30 PM ; Sessions 3 - Vachika and facial make up in Koodiyattam (aalama slokam, swarikkal, slokam in Koodiyattam, koothu vocalization. And mukhathezhuthu)
2.30 PM to 4 PM ; Session 4 - acting in Koodiyattam (rasabhinaya, netra sadhakam, emotional involvement, imagination, Vayuprayoga, Shifting of characters, Improvisation...) Margi Madhu was the Camp Director . Ramesh Varma and Mizhavu artist, Vijayan Iringalakkuda conducted the sessions and performed along with artists on the evenings of each day.
5 PM to 7.00 PM ; Session 5 - Natyasastra Prahasanam –A lecture series on Natyasastra by Dr.K.G.Paulose on all three days was a special attraction of the workshop.
7.00 PM to 9.00 PM Performance Sessions:
25th Thursday : KOODIYATTAM - MARGI MADHU, NARAYANAN AND OTHERS: THORANAYUDHAM DAY 1
26 Friday : NANGIAR KOOTHU – APARNNA NANGIAR- POOTHANA MOKSHAM.
27th Saturday : CHAKYAR KOOTHU –KALAMANDALAM RAMA CHAKYAR
- Theatre Workshop For Children
APRIL 19TH TO 24TH, 2004 ; Organized by MAZHAVILLU, the Children’s theatre group of Lokadharmi, in Kochi .
This workshop was an event for children to take part in a training program in the theater arts. The camp director for this workshop was renowned theatre person, Chandradasan. His special interest in bringing theater skills and awareness to children is apparent and one of the reasons children attends this program year after year.
This one-week camp was successful in providing children the opportunity to participate in theater games, acting exercises, stage presence, creative improvisation, use of emotions and sound on stage, "owning" the character, choreography, mask making, creating stage properties, stage management & more.... A real confidence builder!
Along with theatre related training, the workshop also gave thrust to literature, vocabulary, storytelling, writing, music, folk songs, clay modeling, nature watch and yoga.
Age group: Children between the age of 7 and 17. Number of Children attended: 50
Senior artists of Lokadharmi lead the group with individual attention.
“panjarasala” by B.V.Karanth was be the basic material for the activities in the workshop.
Awards and Achievements
Chandradasan is chosen for the 2003 State Award of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy for his outstanding contribution in theatre.
Utkal National theatre festival is honored Chandradasan with "Natyabhooshan" award for the overall contribution to Indian Theatre at the All India Multi Lingual Theatre Festival Cuttack, Orissa, India -2004 .
Chandradasan also won Chairman's award for Best Actor for his exceptional performance as Duroyadana in Andhayug at All India Multi Lingual Theatre Festival Cuttack, 2004.
Vinayakumar, an actor of Lokadharmi is selected for the National Scholarship by the Department of Culture, Government of India for advanced training in theatre at Lokadharmi for the period 2004-06.
Aarjith Babu C.V, an young actor of Lokadharmi and Mazhavillu is awarded with the CCRT Scholarship in Theatre by the Department of culture, Government of India.
All India Multi Lingual Theatre Festival Cuttack, Orissa, India -2004
organized by Utkal Yuva Sanskritik Sangh – National Theatre Awards:
Sudheer Babu
The National Awards for Best Direction and Best Play for “Andhayug”
(Andha yugam – Blind Age) at ‘Utkal Yuva Sanskrit Sangh Festival’, Cuttak, Orissa, India -2004; directed by Sudheer Babu.
"andha yugam" was selected out of 112 dramas participated from all over India.
Sumesh Chittooran
Sumesh won the Chairman's Best Actor award for his outstanding performance in Andhayug as Aswadhama, the central character of the play, at the All India Multi Lingual Theatre Festival Cuttack, Orissa , India -2004.
Remya Muraleedharan
Remya got the special mention by jury for best actress at the All India Multi Lingual Theatre Festival Cuttack, Orissa , India -2004, for her role in Andhayug as "Gandhari".
In rehearsal
Ubu Roi: Lokadharmi is rehearsing its adaptation of the French play Ubu Roi written by Alfred Jarry. Translation by David Ball. Design and direction by Chandradasan.
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