Theatre to thrive in 2024?

2023 was a great year for theatre, with more than 70 new plays and countless shows of older crowd-favourites showcasing simultaneously around the stages in the capital.

Stalwarts like Asaduzzaman Noor, Ramendu Majumdar, Ferdousi Majumdar, Azad Abul Kalam, Mamunur Rashid, and Sara Zaker, amongst others, enthralled the audiences with the charm and finesse of the craft.

Prominent theatre troupes Prachyanat, Nagorik Natya Sampradaya, Aranyak Natyadal, Swapnadal, Meghdoot, Theatre, Batighar and others have planned to bring a new and intriguing set of theatrics to the stage as well for the year 2024 as well.

Commemorating the 75th birth anniversary of Swadhinata Padak winning legendary playwright and theatre activist Selim Al Deen, renowned theatre troupe Swapnadal is scheduled to stage a play on the respective programme on August 18. Meanwhile, another theatre troupe, Meghdoot, is going to bring Gautam Halder directorial and Apurba Kumar Kundu written play, "Abraham Lincoln," on April 15. 

Mohakal Natya Sampradaya is to stage a new play titled "Dr Honeyman" this year. Along with the staging of "Surendra Kumari" on December 29, they are going to arrange the 200th show of their popular play "Shikhandi Katha", the date of which is yet to be announced.

The first theatre troupe of the country, Nagorik Natya Sampradaya, is going to stage five new plays for their annual festival commemorating legendary thespian Aly Zaker's birth anniversary, "Aly Zaker Notuner Utsab".

Promising theatre troupe Theatre is going to stage "Pala Natok". Prominent theatre troupe Batighar is going to stage their 17th production, "Parabola" in February, while another popular theatre troupe, Tirondaz Repertoire, is going to bring eminent Indian writer Krishan Chander's "Ami Gadha Bolchi" to the stage. 

Commemorating the 100th year of Rabindranath Tagore's immensely impactful play "Raktakarabi", theatre troupe Manipuri Theatre is going to begin their bustling year with the staging in Manipuri regional dialect.

Although the schedules of most of the plays are yet to be announced, most of the theatre troupes are busy preparing their shows for live audiences.

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