Daijiworld Media Network-Dubai
Dubai, May 11: The much acclaimed Konkani play 'Santanam' written by Arun Raj Rodrigues and classic play 'Sunem Mazar Hasta' written by legend Cha Fra D'Costa, will be presented and staged by Maestro Events LLC, Dubai on Friday, May 12 at 6.00 pm at Emirates Theatre Dubai.
The artistes of twin dramas arrived here on May 10. James Mendonca and Alwyn Pinto welcomed them at the airport on behalf of Maestro Events LLC.
Both the plays are directed by Christopher D’Souza of Ninasam.
The plays will be performed by 'Kalakul', Konkani’s lone professional repertory, run by Mandd Sobhann, Mangaluru.
The young talented professional actors are sure to give electrifying performances on stage.
Both these plays have received critical acclaim wherever they were staged earlier and have captured the hearts of Konkani theatre lovers.
Sensing the pulse of people and their eagerness to watch quality Konkani plays, Maestro Events has taken a bold step, to entertain Konkani theatre-loving people of the UAE.
Daijiworld is the media partner of the event.
For tickets contact:
Stephen 055 2319136
Paul 050 5586002
Lily 050 4553321
Roshan 050 1636014
Canara Restaurant 04 3963966
Winny’s Restaurant 04 3358060
Early Birds Offer
The organisers have announced that 10 early birds on the drama day will get Dh 50 worth of tickets each subject to a condition that only one ticket per family or group. Organisers have requested to avail this offer and encourage Konkani theatre.
Kalakul
Kalakul is the only Konkani theatre repertory established and run by Mandd Sobhann. Every year, a batch of 10 selected actors is trained in theatre, at Kalaangann, in the evening, and they present 4 plays. Each actor receives a monthly stipend and they are also paid an honorarium for the shows they present. Mandd Sobhann spends Rs. 8 lac each year for Konkani theatre. In the past 4 years, Kalakul has produced 15 new plays and 8 short-plays and have given 142 presentations. Kalakul has introduced contemporary theatre in Konkani and has given a new direction to Konkani theatre.
Arunraj Rodrigues
Arunraj Rodrigues is a playwright, actor and director in Konkani who had training in directing plays from National School of Drama. He is a recipient of ‘Vorsacho Kalakar’ award from Thomas Stephens Konkani Kendra, Goa, for enacting the first one-act play in Konkani – ‘Judas’, in the year 2005.He has also won ‘Aikwo literary award’ for his collection of plays – ‘Kalakul Nattokam’, in the year 2014. He has written 17 plays and 12 short-plays.
3 books of his plays have been published.
Christopher D’Souza
Christopher D’Souza is a chief trainer and director of Kalakul. He has graduated from the famous Kannada Theatre Institute – Ninasam. He is the director of all the plays of Kalakul. He has won the Best Actor Award in the All India Drama Competition conducted by Daiji Dubai on the occasion of its Decennial Celebrations. Plays directed by him have won prizes at the University Level Competitions. He is also a trainer of Padua Theatre Troupe.
Chafra
Chafra D’Costa was a playwright who revolutionized Konkani theatre with his one-act plays. His plays were of international standard, in their substance and content. The lyrical beauty of his dialogues gave the plays a unique status of high quality. He was a brilliant actor and a master director. Some of the popular plays include ‘Bhangar Monis’, ‘Sunem Mazar Hasta’, and ‘Avnkwar Mestri’.
Chafra was a fearless journalist, a poet without comparison. He won the ‘Sahitya Akademi Award’ for his collection of poems – ‘Sosyache Kan’.
Chafra penned nearly a 100 songs for Mandd Sobhann, all of which have been tuned by Eric Ozario. He was responsible for the establishment of Karnataka Konkani Bhasha Mandal, through which he worked to organize Konkanis.
Artistes in Dubai
The troupe members who have arrived for the twin plays are:
Arun Raj Rodrigues as team manager, Christopher D’Souza as director, with Frivita D’Souza, Flavia Rodrigues, Jackson D’Cunha, Vikas Preetham Lasrado, Swarna Rita Veigas, Ashel Maria D’Silva, Clanwin Brayan Fernandes, Jaison Alwyn Pinto, Rohan Jacob D’Souza as actors.