World Theatre Day crafts to make
World Theatre Day is on the 27th March What will you be doing to celebrate the occasion?
According to the Bard, ‘All the world is a stage’, and on March 27 people the world over underpin the theory with celebrations marking World Theatre Day.
Up to 100 countries recognise World Theatre Day in many different ways, with events ranging from lavish professional productions, through tiny amateur companies putting on plays, musicals, opera, dance, concerts, street theatre, mime and circus performances. For example, in Bangladesh, the streets of Dacca are colourfully adorned with a procession of more than 1000 actors and actresses in theatre costumes.
In its mission statement, ITI seeks : “to promote international exchange of knowledge and practice in the domain of the performing arts, to stimulate creation and increase cooperation between theatre people, to make public opinion aware of the necessity of taking artistic creation into consideration in the domain of development, to deepen mutual understanding in order to participate in strengthening peace and friendship among peoples, to join in the defence of the ideals and aims of UNESCO.”
Every year World Theatre Day celebrates the power of the theatre in bringing nations, cultures and peoples together in deeper mutual understanding.
World Theatre Day was first celebrated in 1962 following a proposal by President Arvi Kivimaa of the Finnish Centre of the International Theatre Institute. Kivimaa received widespread support and March 27 was instituted as an annual event.
There are 97 ITI’s worldwide, each organising their own celebrations for World Theatre Day. But, whatever part of the world they are in, each begins proceedings with the ‘International Message.’
Every year, a message is prepared by a leading director, actor, actress or playwright. The message to theatrical communities is translated into many languages, printed in hundreds of newspapers and is used to unite theatre, radio and TV audiences the world over.
The inaugural message of 1962 was written by Jean Cocteau alongside the opening of the famous ‘Theatre of Nations’ season in Paris. Since 1962, Cocteau’s message has been followed by contributions from other great names from the world of drama, such as Laurence Olivier, Arthur Miller, Peter Brook, Eugene Ionesco and, last year, the highly-acclaimed French director Ariane Mnouchkine.
Remember, Shakespeare’s words from As You Like It: “All the world’s a stage And all the men and women merely players They have their exits and their entrances. And one man in his time plays many parts.”
What role will you be playing when the curtain goes up on March 27?
Go on, add some drama to your life and celebrate World Theatre Day.
Links to fun childrens crafts from Glass Jar Gifts:
Make your own animal characters
