Christ University Theatre Festival – Above the ordinary : Theatre-in-Education Department

(CUT) Christ University Theatre– Above the ordinary

More than 55 teams performing for over 15 hours - 5^th and 6^th February was a time for teams from across the country and across Christ University to create the magic of theatre.

Collaborative effort, creativity, coordinated organizing, willing volunteers, breathtaking moments, varied emotions, enthusiastic audience, encouraging faculty members, supporting staff – all  led by an open hearted visionary management led by Fr Thomas and Fr Varghese. These are just few of the things that made the Blossoms finals and Baptizer 2014 a huge occasion for the University. 

Theatre-in-Education Department had the grace of God to guide this event for 2013-14.  The success of the theatre events has been due to the untiring effort of innumerable people over the years. With more than 100 performers from across the country the festival was a ShudhDesi Style introduction to In-Bloom 2014!

Ms Uma Sugantharaj with Mr Mohammed Arif ensured that the festival was moving in the right direction. Student leaders Sowmyashree from Deanery of Science and Manish from Deanery of Commerce led the organizing team from the invitation days to its festive celebrations.  With the ever willing support of Mr. Bhaskar and SWO team, TIE was blessed as always  with trained cheerful volunteers for every task. Management student Nithin ensured that he balanced himself between TIE and SWO with his warm managerial skills. The Krishna Bhat led student  team of photographers clicked some unique theatrical moments as a photographic memoire of the theatre festival. 

Judges Rakshith, Anitha, Upendra, Ronak and Anne ensured that the unique format of theatre which Christ University stands for was promoted during the festival of Excellence and Service. One of the highlights of this year’s festival was a curtain raiser performance and workshop for the organizing team by American Actor Ronald Rand – the author of the best-selling book - "Acting Teachers of America" - the most comprehensive book ever published in America with 50 of today's most influential acting teachers in the U.S. Details of Ronald Rand’s work can be accessed at http://www.letitbeart.com/guide.htm. 

The other highlight of the festival is a mime performance at the Valedictory function by MarcusSchmid who studied the art of mime with Marcel Marceau in Paris. Marcel Marceau was regarded for his peerless style pantomime, moving audiences without uttering a single word, and was known to the World as a ‘master of silence”. Marcus founded his own company and conceptualized shows that use work on shadows, acrobatics, sculpture and manipulation of objects as guidelines. In 2003, he created “Le Coeur Suspendu” which won him the “Grand Prix” of the international festival of mine of Perigueux-Mimos-/France. Marcus  was invited by TIE as part of its Theatre Capital/Helen O’Grady theatre movement in schools. 

TIE’s 2013-14 dip into theatre is also an attempt to create a format of theatre intervention which combines interested and willing students from across deaneries of the University to create a standard which will be a CUT (Christ University Theatre) - Above the ordinary.

 Team TIE – A collaborative effort of Christ University and Script Peoples Theatre
Results of the festival