SkitS 2014 kicks off

The short play competition sees over 45 entries and more than 30 plays were shortlisted

What started off as an experimental adventure is now the most revered play competition of the city. This indigenous short play competition called ‘So Keep it Short’ aka ‘SKitS’ organised by Dramanon is one of those rare platforms where original scripts are encouraged and everyone is welcome. You can be a first timer or a theatre veteran, ‘SKitS’ gives you an even playing ground to compete and show your talent.

Rama Krishna Shenoy started Dramanon more than a decade ago for the sheer love of stage in Manipal.

When he moved to Hyderabad, he started the local chapter and since then there has been no looking back. He had the idea for ‘SKitS’ for almost five years as just a competition for playwrights. The idea evolved into a short play format, which was rejected by almost everybody. Be it sponsors or theatre veterans, everybody was convinced that it was a non-starter and best left alone. Having no funding from anywhere, he and his team took it upon themselves to execute it. To everybody’s surprise but the ‘SKitS’ team, the first year saw 24 entries translating into 4 prelim rounds which sent 9 teams to the finals. Even this year, ‘SKitS’ saw over 45 entries with more than 30 plays shortlisted.

Last year, SKitS brought the popular play ‘Love Letters’ starring Rajit Kapoor and Shernaz Patel to the city. This year with Atul Kumar coming down with his team from Mumbai to perform ‘Piya Behrupiya’, a Hindi version of Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ post the finale, the competition only looks more interesting.

“I never knew that such powerful stories could be told in such short time. I am impressed with the quality of plays, especially when there are so many first timers,” said an evidently impressed RajitKapoor.

The prelims of the competition will go on through the first week of October, culminating into the finale on October 11, which would be followed by an enactment of ‘Piya Behrupiya’ on October 12.