To stage play ‘Yamala Prashne’ in city this evening
Mysuru :
For any organisation or group to survive for 50 years is nothing but a great achievement. And that to a theatre group completing golden jubilee is something truly that needs to be recognised and appreciated. Mysuru-based theatre group ‘Samathentho’ has just achieved another feather in its camp through successful completion of glorious 50 years.
‘Samathentho’ (Saraswathipuram Madhyada Thengina Thopu) was the brainchild of Dr. Sindhuvalli Ananthamurthy, Dr. Na. Rathna, Vishwanath Mirle, H.M. Cennaiah, Dwarakanath, Balagopal Verma — who also formed the core group of the amateur theatre group. It was in 1966 that the amateur stalwarts came together to form an amateur theatre group which today is celebrating its golden jubilee.
The first play Samathento staged was ‘Yamala Prashne,’ written by Poornachandra Tejaswi, during the Kannada Writers Conference in 1967, but Samathentho gained currency during 1968 by staging the play ‘Raktakshi’ written by Kuvempu. Later, plays such as Kaaduprani, Ellige Eli Bonu, Sattavara Neralu, Mruchhakatika, Jo Kumaraswami, Ghashiram Kotwal, Hucchu Kudure Tuglak, Vamshavruksha, Taledanda, Bhootagalu, Maadriya Chite, Muktaadhaara, Huliyakathe, Cocktail Party, Kadadidaneeru and others were staged by the group over the past 5 decades.
Samathentho is known to be the first group to charge for the entry tickets, conduct writing contest and the troupe to introduce Dr. U.R. Aanthamurthy, H.M. Chenniah, Na. Ratna, Chaduranga and others as playwrights to people of Mysuru. It also started the legacy of honouring great personalities who have contributed immensely to theatre. Stalwarts like Sampath, Prof. Gururajarao, G.B. Joshi, Parwatawani and others have been felicitated by Samathentho. It also has the credit of instituting scholarship for students of theatre.
The specialty of Samathentho is that all its members have an equal say as they believe in universal decision making. The friendship among the mem- bers is such that all of them consider themselves to be a part of a single family. Though for various reasons there was a lull in the activities, the troupe still enjoyed the love of Mysureans which encouraged the troupe to revive and rejuvenate in 2009.
The troupe, not limiting its activities to Mysuru, has staged plays in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Udupi, Dharwad, Gonikoppa, Ooty and other places to a packed audience. Many of the plays staged by Samathentho have found repeated audience thus making it one of the favourites among the amateur troupe in Mysuru.
On the occasion of its Golden Jubilee celebrations, the troupe has organised a programme titled ‘Suvarna Samathentho.’ The programme, which began this morning with the inauguration of poster exhibition at the Lankesh Gallery in Rangayana, will also feature staging the play ‘Yamala Prashne,’ the first play which was staged by the group in 1966. The play will be staged at Vanaranga in Rangayana premises after the stage function at 6 pm.
As part of the celebrations, Samathentho also plans to organise theatre workshops, exhibitions and other theatre activities throughout the year apart from staging various plays.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / November 05th, 2016