The National School of Drama (NSD) will host the 9th Asia Pacific Bureau, a conference of elite theatre schools from across Asia, between October 19 and 25.
The annual conference, being hosted by NSD for the second time, will meet to deliberate on the topic “The strength of Asia in Contemporary Performance Culture”. The event will be attended by 14 drama schools, including NSD. Thirteen drama schools are from 10 different countries.
The conference will not have shows for the public, but will be more academic. These will include discussions on how to preserve, conserve and chart of the way forward for performing art cultures in Asia. Each participating school will have students as well as faculty members as part of the delegation.
Over the course of the meet, there will be festival performances, directors’ meet, interactions and workshops. NSD informed that each school will conduct a workshop for all other participants, providing a glimpse into the school’s training methodologies through a series of exercises for the participants. There will also be a practical session, where a studio space will be provided to each school to perform. Participating schools will perform a 45-minute student presentation, which will end in a discussion.
Speaking about the festival, NSD director Waman Kendre said: “This is yet another occasion where the top drama schools in Asia will show their strength and participate in a cultural exchange. It is also a platform for NSD to show India’s rich performance heritage and showcase contemporary and traditional theatre.”
Participating countries include Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Commenting about the event, Prof. Kendre added that it was formed with the idea that the Asia Pacific region has a diverse culture different from the Western theatre that needs to be explored and exchanged among theatre artists, playwrights, and also the audiences.
Thirteen drama schools from 10 countries will participate in the conference
