
"Great drama is all about memorable moments. The right words spoken at the right time." - Tyne Daly
Since my first day of pursuing a BA in Literature, I've had a deep appreciation for theatre. I still fondly recall my first encounter with the delightful Betty ma'am, when I eagerly sought an opportunity to join "The Daughters of the Stage," the drama crew at Lady Doak College. My initial role was that of a maid, who appeared fleetingly on stage, either cleaning the set or serving drinks to others. At 18, I couldn't help but feel small and disappointed with such a supposedly insignificant role. But later that week, my director informed me that I would be playing Mrs. Hardcastle in Oliver Goldsmith’s "She Stoops to Conquer."

As an amateur on the stage, the responsibilities of a comedic role, but my excitement overlanding a significant part in a major production was undeniable. When rehearsals began, I distinctly remember grappling with my lines. To my surprise, even the so-called "drama queen," who had a flair for making everything dramatic, found it challenging to perform.
I recall feeling completely tense while trying to meet Betty ma'am's expectations. Reflecting on my practice sessions, one particular day stands out when ma'am was directing me to mimic her gestures and dialogues. My co-actors had already finished their parts and were waiting for me to deliver my lines. Everyone, including the backstage crew, was watching me. For some reason, perhaps due to my inexperience in drama, I couldn't reciprocate. I remember giving a blank stare to everyone watching me, and suddenly, I burst into tears.

Everyone was clueless yet did their best to comfort me. This marked the beginning of my journey as a stage actor. Nearly nine years later, I still hear people complimenting me on how I nailed it as Mrs. Hardcastle. Now, I'm in front of my students, teaching them how to be confident on stage.
Behind the Curtain
A week ago, the King’s Theatre of Mannar Thirumalai Naicker college staged their first play in five years: Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. With my colleagues Dr. Saroja V Kumar (akka) and Mr. L. M. Joseph Paul Bezaleel directing the play, we witnessed a stage as the first of its kind.

One of the many things I eagerly anticipated when I joined MTNC as an Assistant Professor was the opportunity to stage a play. After two years, that dream finally came true. When I joined the team, the cast had already been chosen, and the students were almost done with their dialogue practice. They stayed after college hours, rehearsing tirelessly. The seriousness kicked in around mid-December. The actors were busy perfecting their scenes, while another set of students were called in to start setting up the stage. During my time at Lady Doak College (LDC), I had experience with both drop curtains and LED screens, but this was the first time I witnessed a set that slides, turns, and twists. The set was actually built from the ground up. The management sourced people to handle the welding process, and large metal sheets weighing about 30 kilos were installed on the stage. Within a day or two, our auditorium was done with its skeleton.
Bezaleel sir was kind enough to invite me in during the preparation and I am glad I did. Working with my student friends on a drama project was an absolute thrill. Let me be honest here, despite the relentless efforts of the actors, backstage crew, and staff, something always seemed off, and I found myself drowning in self-doubt. In the midst of all the hard work, it was clear that we needed a great deal of preparation and perfection. We were short on time and manpower. Nevertheless, whenever I felt low, watching the unwavering spirit of our directors and the relentless effort of the actors gave me the strength to go head-on.
The Knights at Night

When the folks at MTNC needed a helping hand, the knights without the shining armor, the Utopia Team, stepped in to save the day. This team, renowned for their exceptional backstage work across various colleges. It was my first time hearing about and meeting the team; composed of former stage actors and alumni from distinguished institutions like The American College and Thiagarajar College of Arts. These guys took matters into their own hands, working tirelessly day and mostly night. To me they were functioning like a disciplined wolf pack with an unspoken pact: to stick together, sharing a brotherhood and for the love of drama. Even though everything felt rushed, I could sense the directors' calmness, knowing they were in trusted hands, and I believed so too. From painting walls, and setting props to designing the frame, the Utopia took incharge and guided our students to work in a scheduled pattern
Crafting our own Venice
When the day of our first show arrived, the stage was perfectly set to impress the audience. Our drama was scheduled to run for a week, from January 6th to 11th, with actors performing two shows each day. Invitations were sent to colleges and schools in and around Madurai. For the first two days, our own college students accompanied us. While we were initially unsure about how our play would resonate with students from other institutions, we received an overwhelmingly positive response.

Although Shakespeare's works are challenging even for literature enthusiasts, I believe it was the dedication and talent of the King's Theatre crew that made it a success. I will gladly give credit to Shakespeare for this, but he has been a tough specimen even for our literati. Therefore, it is undoubtedly the King's Theatre crew who made it possible.
From Script to Stage
During our preparation, I had the honor of writing a curtain-raiser piece on the play for The Hindu. During our interview, the director expressed his desire to portray the story of Shylock, one of Shakespeare's most famous villains, and his plight of losing everything under the sun to the Venetians. He also had a whole new perspective on the widely revered heroes, Antonio and Bassanio. His statements made me question the audience's universal understanding and sparked curiosity about how he would justify these characters on stage. Without a doubt, the drama unfolded in the most beautiful way, and as expected, Shylock stole hearts.

Respecting the director's creative vision, the actors embraced their roles with wit and charm. Most of them, being first-time performers, learned the art of improvisation and persuading the audience.
In an English-dominated setting, Aathish, a first-year BBA student, was cast as the main lead, Bassanio. This young boy was not just new to the stage but also to anything related to literature. Paired with Keerthi V Kumar, my dear friend and a seasoned stage actor playing Portia, he had to match her skillful performance. Yet he worked hard and harder when needed. The second lead Graciano (Rajapandi) and Nerissa (Kamatchi) had their way of weaving into the hearts on many. Stealing spotlights in various occasions, they were itched in viewers’ hearts. My personal favourite somehow ends up being the third leading couple Venkat Ragavan Lorenzo (Venkat Ragavan) and Jessica (Yamuna and Archana).
When our hearts were filled with the love and laughter shared by the three couples, it was Shylock (Samuel Arputharaj) and Antonio's (Santhosh Guru Krishna) acts and demeanors that kept us hooked during the performance. While Samuel Arputharaj predominantly stole the show, Antonio never lost control over the audience's attention. And oh boy, he kept improving with every performance. I dare not overlook the minor characters. Although we call them "minor," I believe they anchor the plot, allowing the leads to sail smoothly and reach their destined audience.
Next, we have to acknowledge the students who tirelessly continued their work even during the performances. They played a pivotal role in moving props, changing scenes, managing lighting and sound, operating curtains, making actors presentable, feeding them on time, and ensuring everything was under control. Their behind-the-scenes efforts were invaluable.

Watching our students, regardless of their streams and classes, reminded me of Bezaleel sir's words: "Drama is the genre that brings people together." Within a month, students, staff, and the Utopia team found something to share in common: Harmony.
The Rewarding Take
As I mentioned earlier, I've been part of a drama crew before, but last week was particularly special. I had the opportunity to work closely with actors, converse with directors, watch countless shows, and witness the spectacle.

Even though my contributions to the team were modest, the final public performance filled me with immense joy. It rekindled old memories and helped me create new ones to cherish.
Probably this blog post says it all. As I type these words, I couldn't be more grateful for the management, my principal and obviously, my students and the crew for adding a delightful chapter to my 2025 journey.
Your writing is as interesting as the drama.
Big congratulations to the entire drama team for an outstanding performance! Your hard work, collaboration, and immense talent were evident in every scene!
Excellent write up on the performance! Exciting descriptions and interesting observations. Hearty congratulations and best wishes. Keep rocking👏👏👏😍😍😍
Excellent write up on the performance! Exciting descriptions and interesting observations. Hearty congratulations and best wishes. Keep rocking👏👏👏😍😍😍
Mam, thank you so much for this wonderful observation and the understanding of drama process....your words reflect how much u love drama and how important it to you... thank you for the support and your time during the performance.
Your blog make me realise documentation is prime factor that a simple process into a legacy.
Drama indeed make people come together.
Thank you.