Since its inauguration in October 2004, The Ranga Shankara Theatre Festival has evolved into an extraordinary spectacle, defining itself as the epitome of Bengaluru's cultural calendar. This highly-anticipated event stands as a beacon within the national theatre community, attracting enthusiasts, practitioners, and avid patrons not only from Bengaluru, but from cities all over the country.
Far from a conventional theatre showcase, this event features a vibrant array of Indian theatre, all meticulously curated based on a central theme. It not only serves as a dynamic cultural platform, but also one that encourages connections, exchange of ideas, and experiences among local theatre professionals.
Immersive and celebratory, the festival is a vivid testament to India's theatrical brilliance, from the intricate costumes to the mesmerizing performances, every detail is carefully crafted to bring to life the vibrant culture and traditions of India, leaving an enduring imprint on Bengaluru's cultural medley.
RSTF Themesthrough the years
2004
Theatre Alive!Ranga Shankara opens to the world
2005
Ranga Shankara Theatre Festival
2006
Ranga Shankara Theatre Festival
2007
Ranga Shankara Theatre Festival
2008
Tribute to Company Theatre
2009
A Festival of Comedies
2010
Folk and Classical Theatre
2011
Politics in Play
2013
It’s Shakespeare!
2013
Samprati (A new generation directs of Girish Karnad)
2014
10 Years of Drama
2015
Youth Yuga
2016
Not the Metro
2017
Theatre Real
2018
Plays That Almost Weren’t
2019
The Festival of Laughter and Forgetting
2020
UBUNTU
2021
Staying Alive
2022
Just Theatre
2023
Narratives & Narratives
2024
Celebrating 20 years of theatre!
EQUAL Women’s Voices for a Common Humanity
EQUAL, a biennial festival curated by women, embodies the overarching idea of an equal world where every individual belongs, regardless of gender. It encompasses a diverse range of events, including talks, performances, poetry, music, a photo exhibition, and films. Stalwarts in activism, theatre, and literature share their thoughts on pertinent gender stereotype issues. The festival takes place in September.
Young Directors Festival a.k.a. Kannada Natakotsava
We take pride in discovering new and talented directors within a supportive ecosystem, as they have the potential to inspire future generations. Our experienced team of theatre stalwarts carefully evaluates applications, selecting the most promising candidates to guide and support. This mentorship not only helps showcase their plays but also marks the beginning of their journey in the world of theatre, empowering them to realize their full potential.
AHA! Theatre For Children Programme
AHA! is Ranga Shankara’s most ambitious programme to date, bringing the magic of theatre in all its aspects to children. We firmly believe that children are the future audience, and inculcating a love for the arts, an eye, and an ear for the theatre would surely make them into empathetic and responsible citizens of the world. Since its launch in 2006, AHA! has grown organically and continues to do so, adding programmes, dimensions, audiences, international collaborations and more, as one of the country’s most important and sustained theatre for children (TFC) programmes.
Theatre is an important educator outside the classroom and the standardized test models that students bear the brunt of. AHA! is on top of our agenda. If children are exposed to theatre from an early age, they grow up to become curious, aware and engaged citizens. They are more likely to become ‘trained audiences’ – an important bank that raises the bar for the theatre community.
AHA! Theatre for Children Festival
While theatre entertains, it also holds the power to ignite the imagination and shape the future. Since its inception in 2009, the AHA! Theatre for Children Festival at Ranga Shankara has showcased acclaimed national and international productions, reaching up to 150,000 children in Bengaluru. The festival spans age groups from 20-month-old infants to 16-year-olds, fostering a theatre movement and network for the future of theatre in Bengaluru and beyond. A great opportunity arises for those engaged in TFC at the national fest. It's a chance to meet, exchange ideas, and contribute to the evolution of TFC. The international fest extends the excitement, showcasing diverse works for children from other countries, enriching the local scene and fostering a global understanding of the art form, paving the way for healthy collaborations between theatre groups and countries.
Little Cloud
Our Little Cloud program of storytelling sessions offers a captivating experience meant only for children aged 4-6 years while their parents enjoy an hour of quiet. Held during the months of January and February, these sessions encourage imagination and creative daydreaming, offering a unique experience for the little ones. In a group amongst 20 other children, the storytelling experience becomes dynamic. Children not only enjoy tales but also share the joy with each other and later on with their parents. This setting creates a sense of togetherness that boosts the overall experience. It's a unique chance for kids to learn, to listen, and build their vocabulary and social skills while having fun with stories. These 45-minute sessions are held over the weekends in English, Kannada, and Hindi, providing a rich and diverse storytelling experience.
Summer Express Workshops
Summer Express, an eagerly anticipated event in Bangalore during April and May, introduces children to various aspects of the stage through diverse workshops on Theatre, Movement, Acting, Music, Writing, Visual Arts, and more. These workshops use theatre as a medium to instill self-confidence, help children shed inhibitions, leverage their strengths, and simply have fun. The program offers a transformative experience where creativity and learning unite seamlessly. It is crucial for parents to keep their children actively engaged during the summer vacations and these workshops help ensure they are invested in meaningful activities and avoid excessive screen time. They allow children to develop valuable skills and express their creativity in a vibrant, hands-on learning environment.
AHA! Sundays
AHA! Sundays, launched by Ranga Shankara in 2023, is a vibrant initiative that brings theatre for children to the forefront, enriching young minds through engaging performances. By showcasing diverse stories and themes, this program not only captivates children’s imaginations but also fosters empathy and creativity. The exposure to live theatre cultivates a deeper appreciation for the arts, encouraging kids to express themselves and connect with others. As families gather to experience these performances, AHA! Sundays strengthens community bonds and nurtures a culture that values storytelling and creativity, ensuring a brighter, more imaginative future for all.
Mango Party
Mango Party at a theatre? Absolutely! Ranga Shankara hosts a community celebration, embracing the essence of the king of fruits: The Mango! In a time where public spaces with no monetary, religious, or political expectations have shrunk, our Mango Party has become an amazing happening in society. People gather just to enjoy and share the gorgeous magic of this fruit. This June event unites people from diverse backgrounds, including theatre, literature, arts, and more. Attendees revel in theatre songs, mango stories, competitions, and, of course, an abundance of mangoes! We source nearly 50 varieties, with participants relishing around 300 kgs of the golden fruit. The event encourages sharing, bringing people together to revel in the flavours of summer's golden harvest.
Ranga Yugadi
Ranga Shankara's distinctive Yugadi celebration not only highlights the importance of the harvest festival across India but also serves as a meaningful tribute to our pastoral roots. In India's predominantly village-centric agrarian economy, this festival takes on added significance by recognizing the crucial role of farmers. The occasion acts as a cultural bridge, bringing urban dwellers closer to the essence of rural life and nurturing a harmonious link between tradition and modernity. Embracing the secular nature of the festival, Ranga Shankara promotes unity beyond cultural and religious boundaries, echoing India's rich diversity.
Theatre Prepares
Ranga Shankara invested in the theatre community through a series of workshops. Held by masters in their fields, these sessions helped the younger generation hone their craft and connect as a community. Masterclasses for the theatre community also helped seasoned professionals pass down teachings from their knowledge and experience. Spanning 10th June to 29th June, these workshops explored all facets of a production and thereby equipped the participants with a new set of tools in their backpack.
Designing, Making of Puppets and Puppet Plays for Children
Held during the AHA! International Theatre for Children Festival 2024, Gerti and Max joined us for a transformative six-day puppetry workshop, exploring all facets of the craft. Participants will dive into puppet creation, from designing and constructing to operating and performing. Each day combines hands-on practice with expert guidance, culminating in a final performance showcasing the puppets created. This intensive workshop promises an immersive experience in the art of puppetry, blending creativity with technical skill. Ideal for both beginners and seasoned puppeteers eager to enhance their craft.
RS Connect
As a response to the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, Ranga Shankara started a weekend programme named 'RS Connect'. This was a programme that started with two aims - to repurpose our foyer space but more importantly, to allow artistes and audiences to engage with the arts in a safe, monetization-free environment. The 'RS Connect' programme is a platform that encourages sharing without monetary implications - Ranga Shankara sharing space with an artist, an artist sharing their talent, and an audience sharing their time. Our first season grew into something quite lovely through 24 weeks and 110 sessions! Our second season, we're sure, will be just as fulfilling.
‘RS Connect’ transformed the space of Ranga Shankara into a new ecosystem for the arts, providing a space of healing, well-being, and just ‘being’. With this, we will work to add value to the lives of those who walk into our space for the programme, especially residents from the surrounding neighbourhoods.
Loka Sanchara
As an integral component of its three-year Outreach Programme, Ranga Shankara extended its theatrical reach beyond Bangalore by taking three plays—one for children, one in Kannada, and one in Hindi—to smaller towns across Karnataka. The primary goal was to nurture cultural bonds between local theatre groups in these towns and their counterparts in Bangalore. The resulting exchange programs played a pivotal role in cultivating a vibrant theatre ecosystem, fostering connections among practitioners and citizens in smaller towns, thereby enhancing the overall theatrical landscape in Karnataka.
Maruti Puppet Theatre
At Ranga Shankara, any space, no matter how small or unconventional, can serve as a theatre. An example is the 'Maruti Theatre,' set in the boot of an old Maruti 800. This unique space can play for 25 children with puppetry performances, showcasing the creativity possible in limited areas. The repurposing of an old car emphasises a commitment to recycling and sustainability. The car itself has no engine and only two wheels. It is equipped with professional light, sound and infrastructure that includes cyclorama, wings, curtains, a small revolving stage, a shadow screen and an operating system so that all kinds of puppetry performances— puppets, shadow puppets, miniature puppetry, etc can be performed. This approach challenges traditional norms, making theatre accessible and highlighting the potential for creativity in any space.
Other Voices
"Other Voices" presented intimate performances tailored for a limited audience of 20 to 15 people within a small room. These performances delved into the intricacies of delicate human relationships. For instance, one of the performances explored the poignant "coming out" story of an LGBTQ boy, juxtaposed with his mother's acceptance. Another instance showcased the birth of ambition in Lady Macbeth's mind, portrayed through Hindustani classical music seamlessly incorporated into Macbeth's dialogues. The success of "Other Voices" lies in its subtle yet impactful approach, evident each time these shows are staged.
Staged@RS
What was an archival/academic exercise of recording plays performed at Ranga Shankara, with a single camera (there's a reason for that—we do not want to bring another artistic perspective!) placed in the 4th row, has, in these extraordinary times, become a vehicle for sharing some fine theatrical experiences through the digital platform of streaming.
To add an angle beyond the recording and playing of something from the past, we have the director, producer, or a senior team member speak briefly about the context in which the play was created and performed. It is not the "real" thing, but it’s the only way some theatrical experiences can be revisited.
Hope you enjoy the watching, hearing, and experiencing of theatre through a medium until we hit the floors once again and present Theatre Alive!
Theatre and Arts Appreciation Course
Do artistes let their audiences get a peek into their world? Will they share their stories of their journey, passion, struggles and triumph with their audiences? Will they answer questions that their fans have?
Well, yes! They do. Curated by Culture Critic Sadanand Menon, the course runs over two week-ends during our annual festival and packs in artistes from across streams – theatre, music, dance, visual arts, films, photography, etc.
Making Theatre
"Making Theatre" was a 2-week intensive and interactive workshop held annually over a span of three years. This program targeted young directors from Karnataka, offering them a fully-funded training experience that culminated into a tangible showcase at the conclusion of each workshop.
Throughout this immersive workshop, participants had the unique opportunity to learn from esteemed Indian theatre veterans, gaining valuable insights and diverse perspectives on methodology and style. Following the completion of the workshop, these directors applied their newly acquired skills to create and stage performances in their respective home districts.
The culmination of this initiative involved selecting the most outstanding presentations, totaling five in number. These exceptional showcases were then chosen for a prestigious display at Ranga Shankara, further underscoring the success and impact of the program in nurturing emerging talent within the vibrant Indian theatre landscape.To add an angle beyond the recording and playing of something from the past, we have the director, producer, or a senior team member speak briefly about the context in which the play was created and performed. It is not the "real" thing, but it’s the only way some theatrical experiences can be revisited.
Hope you enjoy the watching, hearing, and experiencing of theatre through a medium until we hit the floors once again and present Theatre Alive!
Playwrights Workshop
‘No Such Thing’ In the view of training playwrights from all over India to write for the young adults, a 14 day, Intensive residential workshop was planned. 12 participants from all over India participated in the workshop conducted by renowned playwrights, Mike Kenny and Lutz Huebner. Post workshop, the participants were mentored by the facilitators, Mike Kenny and Lutz huebner and the outcome of the workshop was 5 plays, written for young adults. Starting from September 2018, rehearsed reading of the plays were organized in association with the Goethe Institut, Bangalore.
Training Theatre Actors
Under the project of train and teach, we aim at building a bank of quality theatre practitioners by offering expert level workshops and training sessions to theatre aspirants. During the month of August 2016, Ranga Shankara conducted a series of workshops for young theatre enthusiasts who have taken theatre as their professional choice, on various aspects of Acting. Surendranath S., Vinay Kumar from Adishakti, Jean Jacques from France, and Mohit Takalkar from Pune conducted the workshops.
Artful Teacher
Ranga Shankara's 'The Artful Teacher' program aimed to infuse creativity into teaching. The program focused on two objectives: transforming teachers into 'Artful Teachers' by introducing 'Artistry' into their practice and enhancing their understanding and effectiveness in using theatre as a teaching strategy. By fostering awareness of a teacher's artistic response to theatre, the program empowers them to craft creative teaching practices, fostering meaningful education. Furthermore, the program collaborates with teachers to develop theatre-based approaches to the curriculum, promoting a creative learning environment and interdisciplinary perspectives within schools.