A call for volunteers at RASA’s annual day

Ramana Sunritya Aalaya (RASA), an RA Puram-based organisation that takes the benefits of arts to special children, is calling for volunteers to run various errands for it as it gears up for its annual day celebration on February 20.

Close to 300 children, young adults and adults from seven schools with differing abilities are participating in this theatrical production titled “Veeram — Stories of Courage”, written and directed by its founder and director Ambika Kameshwar. Those who sign up as volunteers would be required to take the participants on to the stage, carry out backstage coordination, assist with costumes and offer prop assistance, help with stage movement and also attend to details pertaining to stage production.

Those with patience, openness, love for the arts and a caring heart for special children, and presence of mind can sign up as volunteer, says RASA. By virtues of the roles assigned to them, they have the power to create a joyful experience for students and parents.

College students, parents, alumni, educators, theatre practitioners and professionals can sign up either for a few hours of volunteering or for all three days. Rehearsals are happening on February 18 and 19 and the final day is February 20. Once volunteers register, they will be invited for an orientation and on-ground guidance.

Vaishnavi Poorna, deputy director of the organisations, says RASA Day is a culmination of the year-long learning of our students.

Before Ambika Kameshwar started her own institute, she used to function as a facilitator to other special schools in the city and offer the students movement therapy. “This continues even today and the services are offered free, so these special schools have been associated with us for many years,” she says.

The two-hour production will feature seven stories from Indian spiritual mythology and will be staged at Narada Gana Sabha in Alwarpet.

Considerable characterisation goes into the role played by every participant.

“If a child is diffident about something then we give him a role where he will understand what it is to be in the shoes of the character, so they learn to apply it to real life,” she says.

For details, call 9840139607. Volunteer registration form is available at https://forms.gle/ VcGZg8YNTkdPebUM6