From Vision to Reality: The Beginning of Bargad's Journey
- Bargad Theatre
- Apr 4
- 3 min read
Welcome to the very first Bargad Blog - our living document of growth, learning, and transformation. As we embark on this exciting journey, this space will become an archive of our collective efforts to empower aspiring theatre-makers and democratize access to theatre training.
But before we dive in, we want to express our deepest gratitude. Your support has turned this dream into a reality. Thanks to you, 14 incredible practitioners now have the opportunity to receive top-notch training while being part of a nurturing theatre community. You have given water and sunlight to this Bargad tree—we hope to keep growing with you!
How We Got Here: A Timeline
The journey of Bargad has been one of imagination, collaboration, and persistence. Here’s a look at how it all came together:
September 2023-2024: A year of dreaming, planning, and countless discussions led to the birth of Bargad.
September 2024: Project Managers Kiana and Sukriti joined us to bring this vision to life.
6th October 2024: Bargad officially launched its social media and website, with a beautiful logo designed pro bono by Yashas Chandra.
15th October: Applications for our 2025 cohort opened, and we received nearly 80 applications! A panel of esteemed theatre-makers - Jyotsna Siddharth, Priyanka Pathak, Akhshay Gandhi, and Tushar Pandey - carefully evaluated each one.
November: Black Box Okhla graciously became home to Bargad, providing space for auditions, selections, and classes.
16th December: Shortlisted candidates were invited to audition.
6th January: Over four days, 30 shortlisted candidates underwent auditions, evaluated by a jury comprising Rajesh Nirmal, Dhwani Vij, Jyotsna Siddharth, and Anirudh ‘Rudy’ Nair.
10th January: Our faculty was confirmed.
14th January: The very first Bargad cohort was finalized.
4th February: Orientation Day and a safety seminar marked the official beginning.
10th February: Classes began!
Meet the Cohort
Our first-ever cohort is a vibrant mix of individuals from different generations, states, and creative disciplines. Some aspire to act, others to direct or write, but all share an unwavering passion for theatre-making. We are immensely proud to introduce them as the founding members of the Bargad Fellowship!
What We’ve Been Up To
We’ve been working hard to ensure our Fellows are fully prepared for this journey. After settling into their new creative home at Black Box Okhla, the cohort participated in an insightful orientation, including a safety and sensitization session led by Subhadra Kamath and Alia Sinha.
The first week of the fellowship was filled with inspiration, featuring five trips to performances at Bharangam, the international theatre festival at NSD.
Now, as we wrap up Unit 1 of our four-unit curriculum, we reflect on the incredible learning experiences so far with:
Amba – Ensemble building and Improvisation.
Rudy – Pre-performative actor training through Movement.
Subhadra and Imon – Voice training through Music.
Rajesh – Writing for the theatre.
Oroon – Design.
Each session has been a stepping stone in building a strong foundation for our Fellows, equipping them with tools, insights, and confidence to take their theatre practice forward.
Join Us on This Journey
This is just the beginning, and we are beyond excited for what’s to come. Stay tuned for updates on our learnings, experiences, and all the madness that fills our space with joy and creativity.
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