The second All Goa Inter School Tiatr Competition 2024-25, organised by the Tiatr Academy of Goa (TAG), in collaboration with Ravindra Bhavan, Vasco, will be held from September 23-28.
For the second edition, there are six institutions from across Goa participating in the tiatr competition, and it will be a showcase of talents (singing and acting) on the Konkani tiatr stage.
There will be three institutions from North Goa and three from South Goa, but only two institutions will have a writer and a director separately. The remaining schools have opted for independent writers and directors.
The competition will kick off on September 23 with the Rosary High School, Cujira, Bambolim presenting their tiatr, Kalluki Rat, written by Austin Rodrigues and directed by Santosh Shetkar.
On September 24, Fatima Convent High School, Margao, will showcase their tiatr, Tikam, written by Nazario Pinto and directed by Rhea U Bangalorkar.
Tiatr, Tuka Zai Zalear, written and directed by Antonet De Sousa, will be presented by Our Lady of Rosary High School, Dona Paula on September 25. The following day will witness the tiatr, Bim Toxem Bhat, presented by Our Lady of Carmel High School, Anvottem, Curtorim, written and directed by Fr Milagres Dias.
On September 27, the tiatr, Distinction, written and directed by Fr Warren Britto Pereira will be presented by St Xavier High School, Velim.
And, the concluding day (September 28) will bear witness to the tiatr, Sopon Purem, written and directed by Pio Esteves and presented by Fr Agnel High School, Pilar.
Such tiatr competitions for school children have always offered a platform to tap their inborn talents, and nurture their acting and singing skills. They also offer the youth an opportunity to get a taste of traditional theatre art on the tiatr stage, and even opt for a career in that field.
Many children and youngsters, who found an opportunity to step onto the Konkani stage, have honed their talents, and climbed the ladder of success as future tiatrists.
At a time when many of our senior tiatrists are retiring today from the tiatr stage due to the age factor or health issues, the younger, budding artistes need to be groomed to save tiatr for posterity.
If their talents are tapped at the right time, and they are given the chance to excel on stage, there will be no end to the growth of their talents. And, proper guidance and direction can definitely take them to greater heights on the Konkani stage.
In this connection, parents also play a vital role in encouraging the budding talents in children and youth. If guardians motivate and give a boost to their gifts and abilities, then they will definitely excel in whatever they do on stage, be it renditions or acting.
Fr Doel Dias, who has taken the initiative of training the students of Carmel College, Nuvem, in the college-level tiatr competition said that the students have inborn gifts.
“Those talents need to be tapped at the right time and given direction. If this is done, then there will be no end to the growth of their God-given gifts in terms of singing and acting. A little motivation today can lead to the creation of heroes on the tiatr stage tomorrow,” he concluded.