Written By Nimuthu Pathiraja (Web Content Team) On the 29th of January, Trinity College Kandy received an excellent opportunity to learn about the Art of Drama in a workshop by popular and accomplished actor Mr. Kenneth De Abrew, at the college main hall. The event saw the participation of multiple students interested in thespian display, including members of the DRAMSC as well as Drama students of the O/Level section. Mr. De Abrew is a world-renowned actor who has played roles in multiple successful film franchises including Mulan, 4th Man Out, Someone Great and many more. Mr. De Abrew, an alumnus of Trinity, was first exposed to acting through school plays and inter-school drama competitions – emphasising the ability for Trinity to inspire, motivate and guide. Later, he moved to the United States to pursue his passion for acting. He completed a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Zoology at Ohio Wesleyan University and later earned a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from Louisiana State University. He has performed in numerous Shakespearean plays, including Macbeth, The Tempest, and Love’s Labour’s Lost. In 2000, Mr. Kenneth left school after bringing much pride to his alma mater. Twenty-five years later, on that crisp Wednesday evening, the historic floorboards on the college stage were greeted with his graceful style of acting once again, the style of acting which took Mr. Kenneth to the pinnacle of Drama and Acting, performing with the best of the best at locations like Hollywood. As Mr. Kenneth stood on a stage which has an unprecedented legacy to boast about, it inspired all those in the audience to reach the possible heights of theatre. The entirety of the evening was lit up with moments of learning for those present – since Mr. De Abrew ensured that the session was interesting and engaging with regular activities such as testing Trinity’s budding actors’ vocal ranges and responsiveness, encouraging the audience to act on stage, with tests in between. In addition to the delightful light-hearted segment of the event, Mr. De Abrew also spoke for several informative moments which included a Q&A session and tips on how to be a better actor, such as how to improve vocal projection and target individual members of the audience. Furthermore, Mr. Kenneth gave valuable advice on how to be better at acting out Shakespearean acts, which was undoubtedly significant because of the tremendous role Shakespeare played in Drama. Thus, Mr. De Abrew’s visit to college was beyond beneficial to all those in attendance, and we would like to thank for the commitments he made to ensure that the future of Drama remains intact at Trinity and the Globe at large.
Trinity College Middle School’s Dramatist will present their stage play, The Fruit that Defied Its Roots, on January 18th at 7:00 p.m. at the Trinity College Main Hall. This play was conceived by Father Shelton Samadanam, the College Chaplain, who, after a chance meeting with the drama teacher, suggested that a play be created about the students and their lives. Initially, Father Samadanam proposed staging the play in the College Chapel. However, due to ongoing renovations, the venue was moved to the college Main Hall, which will now be the backdrop for this exciting performance. The Chaplin also insisted that the play be performed by the middle school boys as tribute to Mrs. George, for her many years of service towards the middle school. The school is fortunate to have a passionate group of students dedicated to bringing this play to life. These young thespians have been practising tirelessly, even during holidays, to ensure the production is a success. The story centers around a young boy – a fellow Trinitian – who seeks the approval of his old-fashioned father. The narrative touches on the dynamics of boarding life and will likely resonate deeply with the school community, evoking memories of their own school days. Without giving too much away – because we don’t want to spoil the plot! – this is a performance you won’t want to miss. We’re sure the play will stir your curiosity, so join us at the Trinity College Main Hall to see it all unfold!
ඩී.එම්.වී.එම්. දිසානායක ත්‍රිත්වය යනු කලාවේ තෝතැන්නකි. එසේ ත්‍රිත්වය කලා පිටු අතර පෙරළෙන්නාවූ නැවුම් පරිච්ඡේදය මනමේ නාට්‍යයයි. නාට්‍ය කලාව චිත්‍රාගාරයක් නම් එහි ඇති අමරණීයම සිතුවම නම් ‘මනමේ ‘ නාට්‍යයයි. එසේ ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ නාට්‍ය කලාවේ හැරවුම් ලක්ෂයක් වූ මනමේ නාට්‍යය වර්ෂ 1956 දී දේශීය නාට්‍ය කලාවේ මිණි රුවනක් බදු වූ මහාචාර්ය එදිරිවීර සරච්චන්ද්‍රයන්ගේ අධ්‍යක්ෂණයෙන් නිෂ්පාදනය විය. සියබසේ නාට්‍ය කලාවේ හැරවුම් ලක්ශයක් වූ මනමේ නාට්‍ය ‘අපේ කම’ පෙරදැරිකරගත් නාට්‍ය කලාවේ ප්‍රථම ශෛලීගත නාටකය විය. ‘චුල්ල ධනුද්ධර ‘ ජාතකය පසුබිම් වත වන මෙහි ඇතුළාන්තය මානවවාදී දෘෂ්ටිකෝණයකින් විචාරය කල සරච්චන්ද්‍රයන් මෙහි නාට්‍යම රසය සහ බමුණු මත්වලින් සේදී පරඬැල් වූ කාන්තාවගේ චරිතයේ හාත්පස විරුද්ධාර්ථය වූ නිදහස් සහ ප්‍රේමනීය බවද කාන්තාවගේ චරිතය තුළින්ම විදහා දැක් වීමට සිදුකල සියුම් වෙනස්කම් ඇසුරෙණි. මනමේ නාට්‍ය නම් කර තිබෙන්නේ එහි ප්‍රධාන චරිතය වන මනමේ කුමරු අනුවයි. බරණැස් පුර රජකම හිමි ඔහු දහසක් සිසුන් අතරින් දක්ෂ තම සිසුවා වූ ඔහු ආලවන්ත සිතක් මෙන්ම ප්‍රඥාවෙන් හා එඩිතර බවින් හෙබි ඔහු සර්වකාලීන තරුණියන්ගේ නියෝජනයකි. මනමේ කුමරිය නාට්‍යයේ ප්‍රධානතම චරිතයකි, එසේ වුවද ඇය ප්‍රබල ගති පෙන්නුම් කරන්නාවූ වීර කාන්තාවක් නොවේ; සුකුමාල, ලාළිනිය, ළද බොළඳ හා අවිහිංහසක ගති දක්වන්නියකි. එකල සමාජයේ සංස්කෘතිය අනුව සොලොස් වයසින් දීග යන තරුණයෙක් හා තරුණියක් ජීවිතයේ බැරෑරුම් බව දැනෙන්නට තරම් කාලයක් දෙදෙනාටම හිමි වී නොමැති බව ඔවුන්ගේ සිතුම් පැතුම් තුළින් ව්‍යංග්‍යාර්ථව නාට්‍ය කරුවා ප්‍රේක්ෂකයාට පෙන්වයි ඒ කෙසේ වුවත් කෝඩූකාර ආදරයෙන් බැඳුණු සිත් වලට දැනෙන හැඟෙන සිතුවිලි මහ වනයක වුව අති බියකරු බව මකා දමාවි, මුලු ලොවම සැණකෙලි දිස්කරාවී, සියලු ප්‍රශ්න ඉවත දමාවී. මොවුන්ගේ ජීවිත උඩු යටිකුරු කරමින් වෙදීකාවට පිවිසෙන වැදි රජු ප්‍රේමය හමුවේ සමාජයේදී තරුණයන්ට විදීමට සිදුවන අභියෝග සංකේතවත් කරයි නාට්‍යයේ නම් මෙය ඉහළට ඇඳගත් හුස්ම පහළට නොහෙලිය හැකි ජවනිකාවකි. වදනින් මෙල්ල කරගත නොහැකි වූ වැදි රජ හා කායික සටනට එළඹෙන කුමරුන් ඔහුගේ වීර චරිතය ඔපදා පෙන්වයි මනමේ කුමරු සටනින් ජය ගනී. එයත් සමගම එළඹෙන්නේ සම්පූර්ණ නාට්‍යම විචාරයට බඳුන් කරන්නාවූ මොහොතයි, “තනියෙන් සටනට සැරසී එමින්නේ…මේ කගින් ඇයි ඔහු ගෙල සිඳලන්නේ…” ඇය වැද්දාට සිත් බැඳගෙනද.? නැත්නම් ඇත්තටම වැද්දගේ උතුම් ගුණය හුවා දක්වන්නීද? දහසකුත් හේතූන්ගේ නාට්‍ය කරුවා පෙන්වන්නේ ඇගේ චකිතයයි.. ගැහැණිය චපලයැයි විචාරය කරන්නා තව ස්වාමියා මීනීමරුවකුව සිටුනු දැකීමට කැමති වන්නේ කුමන පතිනියක්ද? ඇය විනිශ්චය කිරීමට පෙර ඔබ සිතා බැලුවාද?… වැදිරජ කඩු පහරින් අවසානයේ මනමේ කුමරු මිය යන්නේ කුමරිය මහ වනයක් මැද කිසිම හවුහරණක් නොමැතිව තනි කරමිනි. ශිල්ප ප්‍රගුණ කර නැති ඇයගේ නුහුරු දෑතට කඩුවද , කොපුවද..? කලබල මැද කාට දුන්නද ,කවුරු ගත්තද….?විපත්තිය සිහිනයක් සේ ඈට පෙනී ගියේය…ඇගේ වරදින්දෝ, කාගේ වරදින්දෝ අවසානයේ ඇගේ දිවි මඩලින් හිරු බැස ගියේ හිරු උදාවීමටත් පෙරය… “වැදි රජුට කඩුව පවරා…වළ ළඟදී මනමෙව් හැඩුවා….ඔය සියලු මතක සඟවා….මහවැලිය ඔහේ ගැලුවා…”_ සුනීර සුමන්ග_ ගලා යන්නාවූ මහවැලියට ශෝකාන්තයක් වූ මනමේ කඳුළු මතක රසයක්දෝ, නීරසක්දෝ නොදැන තව තවත් අප එක්කරයි… මෙසේ ත්‍රිත්ව කලා පරිජේදයේ මනමේ නාට්‍යයේ මතකයන් ‘ බිනර මස’ පස් විසි දින වේදීකා ගතවීය !ත්‍රිත්ව විද්‍යාලයේ සෞන්දර්යාත්මක සංසදයේ සංවිධාන ශක්තියෙන් ත්‍රිත්ව වේදීකාවේ මනමේ නාට්‍ය මෙසේ කළඑළි ගැන්වවූ වගයි……
By Chaniru Senhas (Web Content Team) Enthusiastic Trinity dramatists emerged fourth place at the All-island Inter-school Shakespeare Drama Competition 2024, organized by the YMCA and the Rotary Club of Colombo North. Following the writing of the script, members of the Trinity College DRAMSOC, of both the middle and upper school practiced intensely with utmost dedication over a period of a month to showcase their talents through the performance of an excerpt of Titus Andronicus. The crew, in collaboration with their staff advisors, crafted outstanding costumes, and with the assistance of the Trinity College Media Unit, planned out striking lighting and sound patterns. Upon their performance at the semi finals on the 11th of September, their long-held determination paid off as the Trinity College DRAMSOC went through to the finals of the competition. After more countless practice sessions, and small amendments to the script and costumes, the dramatists were ready to perform at the finals on the 15th of September. There, the Trinity College DRAMSOC emerged fourth place among 21 schools, bringing glory to the college. The Trinity College community would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to all the actors, prop designers and crew members from the DRAMSOC, the Teacher-in-Charge, Mrs. Sumedha Weerawardane, Mr. Aslam Marikkar, Mr. Kanishka Samarasundara and the Trinity College Media Unit for their unwavering support and dedication throughout this journey Cast Asama Ranawala – Young Lucius Ian Etugala – Marcus Andronicus Minindu Yasaratne – Lady 1/ Gentleman 1 Navidu Karunaratne – Lord 1/ Valentine Angelo Etugala – Saturninus Ramindu Yasaratne – Bassianus Thinura Garusinghe – Lord 2 Dulkith Jayasekara – Publius Matheesha De Silva – Caius Stefan Fernando – Lord 3/ Housemaid Muhammed Jameel – Captain/ Aemilius Nethula Hettihewage – Lucius Andronicus Gaveesha Samarawickrama – Soldier 1 Menath Kahapola – Tamora Themiya Wanigaratne – Chiron Ravindu Jayasinghe – Demetrius Binuga Jayaratne – Alarbus Agnijan Vaheesan – Lord 4 Jason Navaratne – Titus Andronicus Kankesh Mayurathan – Lavinia Charith Ekanayake – Aaron/ Soldier 2 Nilesh Siriwardane – Aaron/ Soldier 2 (Semi-finals) Props Minindu Nawaratne Thevindu Gamage Muhammed Jameel Matheesha De Silva Dulith Cooray Backstage Crew Dulith Cooray Shakya Premaratne Stage Lighting Engineer Yeshan Ranatunga Sound Mixing Engineer Punsilu Jayasinghe Photographed: Quadrangle
සටහන විහන්ග සංගක්කාර ”ජීවිතයට කලාව” සෞන්දර්යාත්මක සංසදය ත්‍රිත්ව විද්‍යාලීය නාට්‍ය සංගමය හා එක්ව සංවිධානය කරනු ලබන ‘අන්තර් නිවාස වේදිකා නාට්‍ය තරඟාවලිය 2024’ ඉතාමත් උත්කර්ෂවත් අයුරින් ජූලි මස 5 ස් වන දින පාසල් ප්‍රධාන ශාලාවේ පැවැත්විණ. විද්‍යාලීය සිසුන්ගේ රඟදැක්වීමේ කුසලතා ඔපනැංවීමට මෙන්ම සැඟවුණු කුසලතා එළිදැක්වීමට මෙම තරඟාවලිය මහත් පිටිවහලක් විය. ජය පරාජය කෙසේ වුවත් කලාවේ සැබෑ නව නළු රසය ප්‍රේක්ෂකයින් හට මනාව කියා පෑමට සියලු නිවාස සමත් විය. තම නිවාසය භාර ආචාර්ය මණ්ඩලයේ හා වැඩිහිටි සිසුන්ගේ ගුරුහරුකම් ලබමින් මසක පමණ පටන් සියලු නිවාසවල ශිෂ්‍යයෝ ප්‍රායෝගික පුහුණුවීම්වල නිරත විය. ඒ ඒ නිවාසයන්ට අයත් ශිෂ්‍යයන්ගේ උරෙනුර ගැටුණු විශිෂ්ට දක්ෂතාවයන් හමුවේ විනිසුරු මඩුල්ල අවසාන විනිශ්චය ලබා දීමේ දී දැඩි අපහසුතාවයකට පත්වුණු බව පෙනී ගියේ ය. කෙසේ වෙතත් ජය පරාජය තරඟයක ස්වභාවයයි. ඒ අනුව මෙවර අන්තර් නිවාස වේදිකා නාට්‍ය තරඟාවලියෙහි අවසන් ප්‍රතිඵල මෙසේය, පළමුවන ස්ථානයෙන් පිදුම් ලැබූ CBH නිවාසය ඉතා අපූරු අයුරින් ජයලත් මනෝරත්න ශූරීන්ගේ “තලමල පිපිලා” වේදිකා නට්‍ය රඟ දැක්වූයේ ය. Simiththraratchi නිවාසය දෙවන ස්ථානය දිනාගනු ලැබුවේ දායානන්ද ගුණවර්ධනයන්ගේ “නරිබෑනා” නට්‍ය රඟ දක්වමිනි. ලූෂන් බුලත්සිංහල මහතාගේ “තරාවෝ ඉගිලෙති” නාට්‍ය රඟ දැක්වූ Lemuel නිවාසය තෙවන ස්ථානය දිනාගනු ලැබුවේ ය. මහාචාර්ය එදිරිවීර සරච්චන්ද්‍රයන්ගේ “කපුවා කපෝති” නාට්‍ය රඟ දැක්වූ Garett නිවාසය සතරවන ස්ථානය ලබාගත් අතර පස්වන ස්ථානය ආචාර්ය හෙන්රි ජයසේන විසින් රචිත “හුනුවටයේ කතාව” රඟ දැක්වූ Oorloff නිවාසය හිමි කර ගත්තේය. කිනම් ස්ථානයක් හිමි කර ගත්ත ද සියලු ම නිවාස මනාව තම නාට්‍යයන් ඉදිරිපත් කල බව විනිසුරු මඩුල්ලේ අවසාන මතය විය. ත්‍රිත්ව විද්‍යාලීය අන්තර් නිවාස වේදිකා නාට්‍ය තරඟාවලිය විනිශ්චය කිරීමට සපැමිණි විනිශ්චය මණ්ඩලය රංග කළාවේ ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨයින් තිදෙනකුගෙන් සමන්විත වීම ද වැදගත් කරුණකි. පී. සමරවික්‍රම මහතාණෙනී, තිසර රන්දික අල්විස් මහතාණෙනි, ප්‍රසාද් වීරසිංහ මහතාණෙනි, ත්‍රිත්ව විද්‍යාලය වන අපි ඔබේ කැපවීමට නැවත වරක් තුති පුද කරමු. එමෙන්ම මෙම තරඟාවලියේ සංවිධායක ශ්‍රේණි ප්‍රධානී කනිෂ්ක සමරසුන්දර ගුරු පියාණන්ටත්, විෂය සමගාමී ක්‍රියාකාරකම් භාර වාසනා දිසානායක ගුරු පියාණන්ටත්, විද්‍යාලීය ඉංග්‍රීසි නාට්‍ය සංගමය භාර අස්ලම් මරික්කාර් ගුරු පියාණන් අතුළු මෙම උළෙලෙහි සාර්ථකත්වයට උදව් උපකාර කළ සියලු මහත්ම මහත්මීන් වෙත විද්‍යාලය තම හද පිරි ප්‍රණාමය පුද කරයි. කලාවේ මනා රසය පිළිබිඹු කළ මෙම තරඟාවලිය ඉතා සාර්ථක අන්දමින් නිමා විය.
Witness the Unforgettable Musical Spectacle That Captivated Hearts and Made History March 2nd, 2023 marked a momentous occasion as nearly 700 people gathered at the Bishop’s College Auditorium, unaware of the historic unfolding that awaited them. With spirits lifted by numerous pep talks, eager children were poised for an extraordinary experience that would leave an indelible mark on their lives. As the anticipation filled the air, a single spotlight pierced the darkness, illuminating the vibrant Rafiki, who opened the grand production with the iconic Lion King anthem, ‘Circle of Life.’ As the curtains slowly drew back, a surge of déjà vu washed over the cast and crew, transporting them back to the beginning of their journey in the hills of Kandy. A Vision Takes Shape The brainchild of the 2021 DRAMSOC committee, led by President Rahul Jayasinghe and supported by MIC Mr. Aslam Marikkar, this musical extravaganza was conceived to commemorate the sesquicentennial anniversary of the founding of Trinity College Kandy by the Church Missionary Society in 1872. With scripts prepared for four beloved musicals – Lion King, Hamilton, Greatest Showman, and Aladdin – the call for auditions spread like wildfire, capturing the attention of countless students eager to be part of this landmark event. The DRAMSOC, not accustomed to staging musicals, embarked on a journey to raise the bar and deliver an unforgettable experience. A Journey Fueled by Passion Initially planned for November 2022, the staging was pushed to January the following year due to unavoidable circumstances. In hindsight, this delay proved to be a blessing, enhancing the production’s quality and enriching the experience for all involved. The preparation period became a significant milestone, forging lasting memories and friendships. Talented students who never dreamed of performing at such a high caliber flourished, gaining experience and maturing in their respective fields. Alongside the musical, the DRAMSOC engaged in side projects like the Centerstage Competition and the Government English Day Competitions, further honing their skills and deepening their passion. The Grand Stage Beckons With days turning into months, the highly anticipated public performance drew closer. A school show of the Lion King musical provided a tantalizing glimpse of the larger production. The cast and crew knew that the public shows on January 6th and 7th, 2023 would be their ultimate test. The choir rehearsed tirelessly, tickets were sold amid trepidation, and the entire team was primed for this defining moment. The culmination of countless hours of hard work, dedication, and even the occasional disagreement was about to pay off. An Unforgettable Night On the day of the first show, the Main Hall transformed into a theater capable of surpassing their technical expectations. Final rehearsals, compeer preparations, meticulous prop arrangements, and costume adjustments reached a crescendo. As the show commenced, everything fell into place seamlessly. Despite the inherent stress and frustration, the performers managed to smile and share laughter, particularly in the delightful presence of Pumba. The second day of staging surpassed expectations, leading the cast and crew to realize that their journey was nearing its end, with fond memories awaiting them. Taking the Show to Colombo Soon after the show’s success and rave reviews, the cast and crew received news of a Colombo staging. Fully aware of the increased expectations, they braced themselves for the challenge of raising the already remarkable show to even greater heights. The transition involved a shift in administrative responsibilities, with the school assuming a more active role. This allowed the students to focus on their performances, refining choreography, creating new props, and introducing additional songs and characters. The logistics team worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure a flawless experience for all. The Final Push With preparations in full swing, the cast and crew went above and beyond their regular practice sessions. Despite the constraints of a tight schedule, their determination to improve their performances never wavered. Led by dedicated individuals such as Mr. Wasana Dissanayake and the talented comperes and the College Media Unit led by Yasassvi Wijesekara on Sounds, Pishon Elead on Lights and Nethmika Athukorala on Photography, the practices became a respite from other stresses, filled with laughter and camaraderie. As the days dwindled before the show, there was an unshakeable confidence among the cast, crew, and everyone involved that they were ready to deliver the performance of their lives. The Night of Triumph The eve of the performance arrived, and the entire troupe assembled at 4:30 a.m., preparing for their journey to Colombo. With buses and a truck allocated for transportation, they reached the Bishop’s College Auditorium at 7:30 a.m. for a day-long practice session. The final curtain call, alongside other crucial elements, was rehearsed meticulously. Afterward, they retired to their overnight accommodations at Kithusevana and S. Thomas College Mt. Lavinia, ready to seize the moment. A Mesmerizing Journey’s End The time had come for the real endgame. With the completion of final rehearsals, every individual involved shared a singular focus on the culmination of years of dedication and perfection. The night arrived, and nothing else mattered as the lights, sounds, props, choir, and cast took their positions. The magical performance commenced, swiftly passing as if mere seconds, enraptured in the cheers of the crowd and the impassioned faces of the performers. The sensation was akin to swimming in a kaleidoscope of colors, enveloped by emotions. As the hours, which felt timeless, drew to a close, it was not a moment of sorrow but a wellspring of memories, friendships, and an unforgettable journey that none would soon forget. Trinity College’s production of “A Glimpse of Broadway” embarked on an extraordinary journey from Kandy to Colombo, captivating audiences and etching its name in the annals of history. With unparalleled passion, dedication, and countless hours of hard work, this remarkable cast and crew brought the magic of Broadway to life. From mesmerizing performances to awe-inspiring props and soul-stirring music, the entire production sparkled with brilliance. It was a celebration of talent, friendship, and the indomitable spirit of Trinity College. The legacy of “A
From its inception in 1872, Trinity College Kandy has been no stranger to the literary arts. It has, from the beginning, shown interest in the theatrical and the poetic. In fact, one of Trinity’s oldest student associations has been the ‘Trinity College Literary Association’ – known in general as the TCLA, which is still active to this day. It was the TCLA that fulfilled these intellectual and artistic interests of the students and staff through the staging of plays, debates and activation of other literary endeavors. This is in staying true to their primary objective of inculcating the marvels of language within students. As a matter of fact, history points out that in its starting year, 1872, the school staged its first ever dramatic work: an excerpt from Shakespeare’s ‘The Courtroom Scene’ from ‘The Merchant of Venice’ staged by the aforesaid association as entertainment after the first annual prize-giving ceremony. On another note, there has also been record of the school staging musicals in the 1940s under the now elusive ‘Glee Club’, which firmly places the staging of musicals in the school’s history, maybe foreshadowing the college’s present musical endeavor. The year 2022 was no ordinary year for Trinity College. The school which first opened its gates to Ceylon in 1872 now finds itself 150 years ripe with age and institutional experience, celebrating its sesquicentennial anniversary in a much-changed world. ‘A Glimpse of Broadway’ is a celebration of drama, as well as Trinity’s astonishing achievement, by its students. The production is an ambitious take on three loved musicals. It celebrates the circle of life with the applauded Broadway musical, ‘The Lion King’, it braves the stereotypical with the revolutionary with ‘Hamilton’ and the wonder of human achievement and talent with our take of the movie-musical ‘The Greatest Showman’. It will surely be a night to remember with dancing, memorable music and mesmerizing performances. You can secure your seats now at the Main Gate up until the show’s public staging on the 6th and 7th of January, with four grades of tickets Gold, Silver, Bronze I and Bronze II (balcony) each priced Rs. 2500.00, Rs. 2000.00 and Rs.1000.00 respectively. Reservations can also be made via telephone by dialing either one of the following telephone numbers: Vinuth Warnasooriya: – +94 76 051 2839 Sherwain Wavita: – +94 77 278 9907 *Upon reserving your ticket/s, please be in your seats by 7.15 p.m. For more information visit – https://trinitycollege.lk/events/a-trinity-musical-a-glimpse-of-broadway/ Review by F.I. Etugala
Following their spectacular win at the Inter school Shakespeare Championship earlier this month, the Trinity College Literary Association (TCLA) returned to Kandy to perform for their home crowd alongside several other College societies and clubs by organizing a completely new event: ‘A Cultural Evening at Trinity College.’ The event, held on the 20th of October at the College Main Hall, comprised performances by the Sinhala Drama Troupe, the Oriental Music Society, the Drum and Dance Troupe, the Trinity College Choir and of course, the TCLA’s very own Drama Troupe. Opening the event the Sinhala Drama Troupe performed a street drama revolving around Sri Lanka’s most famous theatrical character, ‘Mahadenamuththa’. This drama was notable by its integration into the rest of the evening, livening up the proceedings. The Oriental Music Society performed an orchestral piece followed by a traditional Sinhala song, entertaining the crowd with the sounds of Sri Lanka. The Drum and Dance troupe performed their own drama, presented through dance and music rather than words and conventional dramatic effects. The Choir of Trinity College was in excellent form, treating the audience to several songs, including Billy Joels’ ‘For the Longest Time’, and ‘Edelweiss’. The Trinity College Literary Association closed the evening by presenting their championship winning performance of ‘Romeo and Juliet’, notable for its minimalist approach, being presented without any costumes and precisely one prop. The TCLA would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made this event a reality. Notably, the Principal, Mr. Andrew Fowler-Watt, the Head of Administration, Mr. Ravi Amarasekara and the senior management; the teachers and masters in charge of each society and the directors of each production for their hard work in shaping fabulous performances; Mrs Umanga Bandara and the College Media Unit, and Mr Chethaka Athukorala for their professional work controlling lighting and sounds; Mr Sheshan Abeysekara for his excellent work in promoting the event and managing its social media coverage; Mr Nissanka, Mr Jayamanna and the College maintenance team for ensuring that the facilities were in prime form for the event; and of course, each and every participant of the event, without whose dedication and sacrifice none of this would have been possible. All things considered, we believe that this event achieved its goal; to provide an arena for the students of College to show their skills, talents, and their pride in their cultural heritage. We hope that it sets the stage for future events of the same nature and inspires more people to focus their attention on Arts and Culture, both within Trinity and out of it, and wish them the best of luck for the future!
William Shakespeare’s plays are timeless, performed the world over. In Sri Lanka, the Inter-School Shakespeare Drama Competition organized by the YMCA is the premier platform for Sri Lankan youth to show their renditions of the Bard’s creations. The semi-finals were held on the 18th of September at the Lionel Wendt Theatre. This year, with their performance of ‘Romeo and Juliet’, the Trinity College Literary Association was selected to compete in the final round of the competition, alongside three other schools. This in itself is a testament to the talent and dedication of the boys, as it has been 7 years since Trinity has reached this stage, the last such occasion being the performance of ‘Julius Caesar’, in 2012. The finals will be held on the 29th of September at the Bishops’ College Auditorium. The Boys’ Shakespeare Drama Competition Finalists are: Ananda College – Colombo Trinity College – Kandy Wesley College – Colombo St. Joseph’s College – Colombo
A good story has an excellent appeal, and a social message communicated trough a good story has a universal, impact, especially on children. This was the idea behind inviting the “Power of Play” (PoP) performers led by Ms Sulochana Dissanayake to Trinity College to deliver a performance using puppets of various styles to share a message on gender biases existing in our society. A powerful message communicated through a little girl called “Sama” and her study mate “Sandun”, discusses the gravity and the long-term detrimental social impact of simple biases inculcated in children during their childhood, such as “boys shouldn’t cry like girls” and “girls shouldn’t climb trees like boys do”, etc. and how to breakthrough these barriers and build harmonious interpersonal, gender relationships by building self-confidence, trust and mutual respect for both the genders. Delivered through an interactive theatre style, the PoP performers continuously interacted with the student audience making them share their ideas on these social biases, their points of view, and eventually leading them to understand the worthlessness of these prejudices that persist in society through age old beliefs, practices and conventional thinking. The PoP initiative was a great method of delighting the audience of all ages and inspires students to learn and communicate frankly by breaking through barriers of age, gender, socio-economic, political and cultural backgrounds. More than 1,7 00 students their tutorial staff attended the PoP Performances that were conducted in two sessions. Full gallery is available on our Flickr page: