Addanda Cariappa to take charge as new Director tomorrow

Mysuru: The 58-year-old senior theatre personality from Kodagu, Addanda C. Cariappa, who was recently appointed as Director of Rangayana, Mysuru, will assume office tomorrow at 11 am. Star of Mysore caught up with him over telephone for a brief chat. Excerpts…

SOM: Tell us about your association with Rangayana?

Cariappa: I have been associated with Rangayana since many years. Now the Government has appointed me as its Director. It is not appropriate to chalk out programmes straight away. The programmes must be first discussed with the theatre repertory’s Assistant Director, Ranga Samaja and artistes. B.V. Karanth must be credited for setting up Rangayana to promote theatre. I will work with                                                                            caution to ensure that Karanth’s dreams and the intention behind setting up of Rangayana are realised, with more focus on plays.

SOM: What are your plans for the upcoming Bahuroopi National Theatre festival?

Cariappa: I am not new to Bahuroopi festival which is an important event started by former Director Prasanna. With the delay in the appointment of the Director, the festival too may be delayed by about a fortnight. The theme and the plays are yet to be finalised which will be taken up immediately. This time, the theme will be selected with the involvement of public and theatre lovers. Rangayana is people’s repertory and everybody should participate in Bahuroopi, which is widely considered as Ranga Jaatre (theatre fair).

SOM: As Rangayana Director, do you have anything to say about the artistes here?

Cariappa: As I have said earlier, Rangayana is exclusively meant for theatre. Artistes should be prepared to perform plays for 30 days continuously when asked. There is a need for practising new plays in Rangayana. As some senior artistes have retired, while a few others are on the verge of retirement, new artistes will be trained under the guidance of senior artistes. We have just around 12 senior artistes left and we need to include artistes from other small theatre groups too.

SOM: What are your plans for taking Rangayana towards youths?

Cariappa: Rangayana has been organising ‘College Rangotsava’ for the benefit of youths. My objective is to ensure that at least four to five students should join theatre training classes after this event. Till now, ‘College Rangotsava’ has remained just a play-oriented theatre camp and much more should be done for organising the event in a more scientific manner. I have plans to introduce Sanchari Rangayana, a mobile camp, where senior artistes hold theatre camps at various places for at least 30 days to attract the youth and other enthusiasts to the theatre.

SOM: Lastly, what are your plans for Rangayana?

Cariappa: Rangayana must be more focussed on staging plays rather than organising festivals. It must be a repertory where it should have at least 50 plays ready to be performed anywhere and at anytime. But sadly, at present, the repertory has just about 10 plays, with the practising of plays almost coming to a halt. There should be rehearsals daily and there is an urgent need for new plays to be practised.