Mansi Patel

1016-A

Site: Jayabaug, Vadodara The MSU campus is situated in heart of Vadodara in loop with landmarks like Sayajibaug, Baroda Museum and Picture gallery, Vadodara Railway station, City bus terminus, GSRTC depot etc. Jayabaug is enveloped by Faculty of Fine Arts on one side and Vice Chancellor’s residence on the other, with Vishwamitri River on the backside. It is a vital area with students and other people gathering at food stalls on the outer edge. A proposal of 5 star Hotel was made three to four years ago and construction had also begun. But a case was filed against it by MSU because of the site being in an educational campus. Currently there exists an abandoned frame structure. Concern Baroda state was a heyday for Gujarati as well as Marathi theatre. The Gujarat Deshi Natak samaj and Marathi Bal Gandharva Matak mandala were highly acclaimed amongst 16 local theatre groups. People used to leisurely enjoy the art of theatre which often continued for an entire day. But there has been an eventual downfall of this art. The former Baroda state had done pioneering in many directions. Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III was a great believer in education and to him goes the credit of establishing splendid structures in which education is imparted. In 1884 he founded “Sangeet Shala”, which became the college of Indian Music, Dance and Dramatics, known as Faculty of Performing Arts since 1986. Despite of it being a part of MSU, the faculty is detached from other departments; especially Faculty of Fine Arts which it was a part of, at the commencement of MSU in 1949. Performing Arts cannot survive in isolation- it has to change with times as the applications and implications of art keep changing. Intention After getting in conversation with students from both departments, the need of mutual exposure for students was apprehended. Students are interested in gaining and exchanging knowledge of their respective fields, because as mentioned earlier theatre cannot be seen in isolation. The Faculty of Performing Arts being away from MSU campus, students are disassociated. Also the city lacks in awareness about this and hence we have don’t have audience* to appreciate them. The motive of this project is to bridge this gap and regain lost radiance of theatre art, by providing a built environment as the platform. The intention is also to translate elements of theatre into the design process. A flexible mode of theatre training that exists is that of short-term theatre workshops. A month devoted to children--workshops, plays, films to make holidays fun and enriching. Workshops where young theatre workers become more aware of the totality that is theatre, of the basic skill they need to develop and of other technical aspects that go into making of a meaningful theatre performance. It will also serve as a space for amateur theatre groups to learn by exchanging thoughts, rehearse and showcase offbeat and experimental plays.