Play on Parashurama: 11 artistes to portray over 60 characters

Mangaluru: A play on Parashurama to be staged by the Yaksha Rangayana Karkala, will be a new experiment, with 11 artists donning the roles of more than 60 characters.
The play written by Shashiraj Rao Kavoor, and directed by Jeevanram Sullia, is all set to be staged for the first time at the Koti Chennaya Theme Park in Karkala, at 6.35 pm on Monday. ‘Parashurama’, the second production by the Yaksha Rangayana Karkala, will be staged as part of the three-day drama festival to be held from Monday to Wednesday, under the aegis of Yaksha Rangayana, Kannada and culture department, and Koti Chennaya Theme Park Development Committee. Director of the play, Jeevanram, who is also the director of the Yaksha Rangayana, said that the script of the play was prepared after holding discussions with many scholars, including BA Viveka Rai, Prabhakar Joshi and others.
“People of Tulunadu believe that Parashurama is the creator of the region. The two-hour play narrates the story of Parashurama, one of the 10 avatars (incarnations) of the Hindu God Vishnu. The play has been created based on the purana, folklore and traditional faiths. The speciality of the play, is that only 11 artists of the Yaksha Rangayana, will be donning the roles of more than 60 characters. It is indeed a big challenge for us, that the artists should be ready to play the next character with the changed costumes, without delay,” he said.
“All our artistes are professionals, and they are hired for three months. Yaksha Rangayana, which was launched on May 9 last year, is yet to get sufficient funds from the government for activities. The government has sanctioned Rs 2 crore for a building for Yaksha Rangayana,” he said.
The play will be staged at nearly 20 places across the state before February 15. Shows will be presented at Sullia on January 13, and in Mangaluru on January 16, Thirthahalli on January 18, and at Sringeri on January 20. The play on Parashurama also coincides with the opening of the Parashurama Theme Park at Bailoor in Karkala on January 28. Yaksha Rangayana’s first production – ‘Amara Kranti Swatantra Horata-1837’—a play based on the Amara Sullia uprising, was staged at 10 places across Karnataka, Jeevanram added.