rganizational Background :
We are Ex-TRA An Organisation (Experimental Theatre in Realistic Attitude) was formed as a non-for-profit organization in Kolkata in 2002 by a group of progressive students of the Fine Arts Department of Rabindra Bharti University, Kolkata; Bhartendu Natya Academy, Lucknow; academicians and local community catalysts to popularize the idea of experimental theatre and invo
lve common people in theatre. Ex-TRA reckons that theatre is not just a medium of joyful and creative expression of self, but it also brings about self-autonomy and of one’s immediate and larger socio –environment phenomena. We are developing theatre groups in remote places in India to create a platform for indigenous young theatre artists. We believe in the power of theatre in attacking widespread social injustice. We would like to problematize and discuss ethical and ideological challenges associated with the art of acting. We discard the monotonous grammatical acting and have experimented and adopted a new aesthetic of theatre where physicality is its means of critical communication. Ex-tra has devised and implemented “Character Expression” as a new method of art of acting. We aim for a flexible arena where different performers and professionals meet and exchange their respective experiences, differences and practical knowledge, working on active research and discourse for innovation. We would like to bring together the best educators in the field, and explore the nature and future of the art of acting. We would like to look closely into various artistic and pedagogical processes and approaches, in order to reveal different forms about craft of acting aesthetics. During the past nine years, Ex-TRA has performed in the small towns and villages in several places of India. We have also majorly performed in 11th (2009), 12th (2010) and 13th (2011) Bharat Rang Mahotsav, National School of Drama with respective productions;Hawaalat, TedhaDarpan andSuraj Ka Satwan Ghoda. Suraj Ka Satwan Ghodaconstruction which went through six-month long residential workshop received support grant from India Foundation for the Arts (IFA), Bengaluru in 2010.Tedha Darpanalso performed at National Theatre Festival in Trivandrum, Kerala in 2010. We got valuable opportunityof collaborating with production Gagan Damama Bajyo with Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur in 2014. Future Endeavours :
Organization is also keenly interested in evolving space of nature of acting in school education. In this evolving work of organization, has realization towards developing critical thinking in the domain of school education through the execution of dramatic arts.
