This year, the Central Board of Secondary Education will offer theatre studies as an optional subject in Class XI. The subject is to be launched as a pilot course on first-come-first-serve basis.
A letter from the board to school principals, said that theatre is one of the strongest mediums of expression. It is as old as mankind and has manifested itself in countless forms all over the world. Also, the letter said that theatre can as well play a significant role in strengthening and furthering the learning of other academic subjects, which are taught in conventional ways. The letter added that it concretizes matters that would otherwise remain conceptual and difficult for children to grasp. It puts life back into bookish learning. Besides, students will pick up a variety of theatre-skills and experiment in different ways of responding to and performing drama.
As per sources, the subject will comprise of 70 mark theory paper with 30 marks for case study-based project and viva voce. The course will introduce students to theatre as an art-form (what it is, why it is relevant and concepts of space, time, audience and performance), different dramatic forms and styles, theatre architecture, history of Indian theatre, Indian folk and street theatre, Asian theatre (Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian), western theatre (Greek, Roman, Elizabethan, Italian) and even the links between Indian theatre and films.
Furthermore, in the theory part of theatre, students will study the works of Vijay Tendulkar, Mohan Rakesh, Dharmveer Bharti, Badal Sarkar, Shankar Shesh, Girish Karnad, Chandrashekhar Kambar, Rabindranath Tagore and Bhartendu Harishchandra. In addition, they will also review Indian theatre organizations such as National School of Drama and Sangeet Natak Academy.
