The Best Decision Ever

Have you ever made a decision when you were not really sure and then in hindsight realised it was one of the best decisions you had ever made?

This is exactly what happened in June this year. I heard of a theatre group, Manorang, that had started in Thane and that they had courses for people who wanted to learn and be part of the theatre. I have always loved acting and writing skits in school and even directing plays as a teacher, but that was just because I loved it. Now here was a chance for me to learn how to do all this professionally. And the best part was that it was in Thane! Not Andheri, or Colaba, or even Bandra, but in Thane!

Started by Sandeep More and his team, Manorang has brought theatre to the aspiring actors and directors in Thane. And I for one am ever so grateful! You can read more about Sandeepji and his team here.

Manorang has various levels of workshops and the one I joined was Atrangi, the workshop for beginners. Atrangi is an Amateur Theatre Workshop which is designed to provide a head start to aspiring artists in the field of theatre and acting.

And the inner critic pipes up!

There was absolutely no reason not to join, yet I hesitated. The minute I thought about joining, the inner critic (I really have to give her a name) woke up and said sarcastically, “Really? At this age? You will be the oldest person there! Forget it! Everyone will make fun of you.”

Am I thankful I told her to shut up and went ahead and joined the course!  True, I was the oldest person in the room, where the youngest was 16, but I didn’t care. From day one I felt a buzz of excitement as I learnt new things and did the various exercises in drama.  I had not had such fun in a very long time.

What I gained.

Not that it was easy. It was tiring and at times I had to swallow my stage fright and just get in front of the group and perform.  I am sure if anyone measured my heart rate at that time, it would have hit the roof. But I learnt and I made friends and with every session I grew more confident.

And I wrote my first play; skit actually and they loved it!!!!!!

And then I performed on stage, in front of an audience! My debut on a real stage! Acting in a play that I had written!

More than just acting.

I had always thought that all you had to do was learn your lines and learn to emote a bit and then go and act. But being on stage is so much more. I learnt about cues and blocking and 45 degrees and not 90 degrees  and not just emoting, but reacting, acting between the lines and what technical rehearsals are and oh so much more!

On the actual day of the debut there was excitement, nervousness and even a bout of tears from the performers. But the mentors handled every little crisis and finally each of the four groups performed.

That high feeling!

My skit was titled “Your Parent or Mine” and was a comedy. It was the last skit to be performed that day, and even while I was acting, I could hear the audience laughing and my heart danced. The applause at the end was deafening and we all took our curtain call with huge grins on our faces. We had done it!

After  the programme, my family and friends, congratulated me and told me I had done a great job; but what I did not expect was that so many strangers came up to me and told me they enjoyed my skit and the acting. I still have to come down from that high. It beats having a beer or a margarita any day!

My team, my strength!

None of this would have been possible if we had not worked as a team and I think we, the cast and director of “Your parent or mine”, were the best in the world.

It takes guts to become something you are not and to face an audience for the first time.  You have to share your vulnerability with the team if you want to succeed. And a good team understands and helps you without putting you down. They build you up, they support your performance, and they become your extended family.

Everyone pitched in to edit the script and translate it into Hindi. They even helped me learn to say my lines in fluent Hindi, (though at the rehearsals someone from one of the other skits asked me if I was supposed to be a Parsi Aunty!)

We taught each other to emote and get comfortable with one another. We pushed each other and praised each other and were each determined to do our best, not just for ourselves but for the team as well.

 Thank you so much Shreya Kaushik, Anupriya Jahagirdar, Dr. Pooja Wankhade, Navin M. Karmarkar and Hardik Palav for all the love and suggestions and criticism that helped each of us give our best.

Next Batch

The next batch of Atrangi is starting in November. You can register on the website and someone will get back to you.

Website  :  www.manorang.com

Email      :  manorang@manorang.com

I do hope you make a decision that will one day have you looking back and saying, “ I am so glad I did it!”