4 of the pieces created for the ThinkArts Grant 2021 were part of the ThinkArts International Festival for Young Audiences 2021 and the fifth was premiered on ThinkArts' 8th birthday on 23rd Dec 2021!
AKRITI SINGH
Supported by the Grant, Akriti created Monsters and Dragons
Supported by the Grant, Kinnara Mela Theatre Company created Somari Volya
Neel, along with Third Space Collective created Growing Up, with support of the Grant
With the support of the grant, Rahul & Sidharth, created Gajam, under the banner Rasa Collective
With the support of ThinkArts Grant 2021, Varun created Omar and the Underworld
Akriti Singh is a writer, director and actor based in Mumbai. An architect by education, she has written and directed 14 plays in the past 4 years, three of which were for children. Her first feature film Toofan Mail is currently doing the rounds at film festivals to rave reviews, winning the Best Film Youth Curated Choice Award at the UK Asian Film Festival.
Akriti loves writing stories and believes that writing for children is the most creative endeavour one can take on.
KINNARA MELA THEATRE COMPANY
Kinnara Mela Theatre Company is a group of adult actors performing for children. The Company was established in 1990 in Tumari village in Karnataka with the aim to bring plays to children, travelling to educational institutes and presenting performances that can coexist with academic schedules instead of disturbing them. The Company develops two plays each year and averages 100 performances, reaching an average of 1,00,000 children per play. In the last 30 years Kinnara Mela Theatre Company has produced more than 65 plays in schools as well as at theatre festivals meant for children, gaining them national recognition for their work.
K.G. Krishnamurthy, artistic director of Kinnara Mela Theatre Company is a graduate from National School of Drama New Delhi.
Kinnara Mela Theatre Company is a group of adult actors performing for children. The Company was established in 1990 in Tumari village in Karnataka with the aim to bring plays to children, travelling to educational institutes and presenting performances that can coexist with academic schedules instead of disturbing them. The Company develops two plays each year and averages 100 performances, reaching an average of 1,00,000 children per play. In the last 30 years Kinnara Mela Theatre Company has produced more than 65 plays in schools as well as at theatre festivals meant for children, gaining them national recognition for their work.
K.G. Krishnamurthy, artistic director of Kinnara Mela Theatre Company is a graduate from National School of Drama New Delhi.
NEEL SENGUPTA
Neel, along with Third Space Collective created Growing Up, with support of the Grant
Neel Sengupta is a director, actor, and educator living in Delhi. He is the recipient of the Tendulkar-Dubey Fellowship 2019 for Excellence in Theatre and has been creating work in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. Neel has headed the content and curriculum of the entire arts programs in Delhi schools, and has since been associated with several schools across Delhi/NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Pune as faculty as well as to develop arts programmes for them. His play 'Raavan Aaya' (based on Sukumar Ray's 'Lakhoner Shaktishel') used mythological tropes to start conversations around government systems, power, and corruption, and was performed in 40 schools across the country.
Neel is part of the theatre faculty at Shiv Nadar School, Noida, responsible for the curriculum development of the Integrated Arts Program at the Middle and Senior School level.
Neel, along with Third Space Collective created Growing Up, with support of the Grant
Neel Sengupta is a director, actor, and educator living in Delhi. He is the recipient of the Tendulkar-Dubey Fellowship 2019 for Excellence in Theatre and has been creating work in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. Neel has headed the content and curriculum of the entire arts programs in Delhi schools, and has since been associated with several schools across Delhi/NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Pune as faculty as well as to develop arts programmes for them. His play 'Raavan Aaya' (based on Sukumar Ray's 'Lakhoner Shaktishel') used mythological tropes to start conversations around government systems, power, and corruption, and was performed in 40 schools across the country.
Neel is part of the theatre faculty at Shiv Nadar School, Noida, responsible for the curriculum development of the Integrated Arts Program at the Middle and Senior School level.
RAHUL THOMAS & SIDHARTH VARMA
With the support of the grant, Rahul & Sidharth, created Gajam, under the banner Rasa Collective
Rahul Thomas is a theatre maker, storyteller & educator. He has facilitated numerous storytelling sessions and theatre workshops for children at literature festivals, schools and community spaces. He is also working as a theatre pedagogue in Head Start Educational Academy, Bangalore since 2018.
Sidharth Varma is an actor, theatre maker, storyteller and dubbing artist working in Kochi and Chennai. He is trained in mime, pantomime, shadow theatre and gymnastics. He is currently undergoing training in clowning. He was a theatre trainer at MacTrics, A Mime and Body Theatre group, in Chennai from 2015 to 2017. He has been a children’s trainer for stage and film for more than five years. His film credits include 'Varane Avashyamunde' (Malayalam) and 'Irumbhu Thirai' (Tamil).
With the support of the grant, Rahul & Sidharth, created Gajam, under the banner Rasa Collective
Rahul Thomas is a theatre maker, storyteller & educator. He has facilitated numerous storytelling sessions and theatre workshops for children at literature festivals, schools and community spaces. He is also working as a theatre pedagogue in Head Start Educational Academy, Bangalore since 2018.
Sidharth Varma is an actor, theatre maker, storyteller and dubbing artist working in Kochi and Chennai. He is trained in mime, pantomime, shadow theatre and gymnastics. He is currently undergoing training in clowning. He was a theatre trainer at MacTrics, A Mime and Body Theatre group, in Chennai from 2015 to 2017. He has been a children’s trainer for stage and film for more than five years. His film credits include 'Varane Avashyamunde' (Malayalam) and 'Irumbhu Thirai' (Tamil).
VARUN NARAIN
With the support of ThinkArts Grant 2021, Varun created Omar and the Underworld
Varun Narain is a puppeteer who believes in blurring boundaries. He is both alumnus and visiting faculty at the Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi where he lectures the MA programme in Development Communication in Puppetry and Traditional Entertainment.
Varun was the first artist-in-residence to be facilitated by Pro Helvetia at the Schlachthaus Theater, Berne, Switzerland. He received a New Performance grant from the India Foundation for the Arts, to develop an Indian adaptation of the ballet Giselle. His performative installation on global warming Photosynthesis by Moonlight was performed in schools and colleges in Delhi. His production of Ginger and Cacao premiered at the opening soiree for the India Art Fair 2019 at the Embassy of Switzerland. Varun has recently created and performed for virtual platforms such as Serendipity Arts Foundation; Kahaani Online (Teamwork Arts) and The Same Boat Theatre’s festival ‘Earthquake’
With the support of ThinkArts Grant 2021, Varun created Omar and the Underworld
Varun Narain is a puppeteer who believes in blurring boundaries. He is both alumnus and visiting faculty at the Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi where he lectures the MA programme in Development Communication in Puppetry and Traditional Entertainment.
Varun was the first artist-in-residence to be facilitated by Pro Helvetia at the Schlachthaus Theater, Berne, Switzerland. He received a New Performance grant from the India Foundation for the Arts, to develop an Indian adaptation of the ballet Giselle. His performative installation on global warming Photosynthesis by Moonlight was performed in schools and colleges in Delhi. His production of Ginger and Cacao premiered at the opening soiree for the India Art Fair 2019 at the Embassy of Switzerland. Varun has recently created and performed for virtual platforms such as Serendipity Arts Foundation; Kahaani Online (Teamwork Arts) and The Same Boat Theatre’s festival ‘Earthquake’
