Plays & workshops for teens, kids at Grips Theater Festival in May

PUNE: The Rainbow Umbrella Foundation and School of Media Activity Research and Technology (SMART) of Maharshee Karve Stree Shikshan Sanstha (MKSSS) will jointly organise the Grips Theater Festival in the city from May 7 to 22. The weeks-long programme will be held on the MKSSS campus in Karvenagar, from 7 to 8.30pm, and the event will showcase plays by children and teenagers.
The Grips Theater in Berlin is known as emancipator children’s and youth theatre, socio-critically incorporating living conditions of kids and youngsters into original humorous and musical plays.
Its counterpart in India was set up by actor Mohan Agashe in 1986, and nurtured by artistes like Shrirang Godbole, Vibhavari and Hrishikesh Deshpande, Radhika Ingle and others. Godbole told TOI, “Four famous Marathi plays developed in Grips format shall be staged and each would be showcased four times during the festival so that more children can enjoy it.”
These include ‘Chhan Chote Waitta Mothe’, ‘Nakore Baba’, ‘Project Aditi’, and ‘Ekda Kay Zala’.
Ingle said, “Other activities are also planned for children in the age group from 6 to 14 years, like workshops on acting, dance, puppetry and filmmaking, followed by fun and entertainment activities. Further, Heritage Walks will be organised based ‘Punyachi Apurvai’, by noted writer Anil Awachat.”