Nandini Rao and Ranji David are the Artistic Directors at Yours Truly Theatre. They have been instrumental in setting up Yours Truly Theatre in the year 2003 with a single-minded passion to setup a theatre movement focusing on bringing a new language to contemporary Theatre in India using Interactive theatre and theatre for change as a medium.

Both are commited to using theatre for change which has translated into powerful initiatives like YTAC- Yours Truly Theatre @ Campus, YT'angle - Yours Truly Angle for Children, Show for cause and Public interactive performances which not only resonates with our audiences but also identifies with them too. They have a unique way of reaching out to the younger generation with a lot of fun, entertainment mixed with food for thought.
Read more about these initiatives>>

They have been intrumental in taking Interactive, Improv and Participatory Theatre into main stream performances, amalgamating concepts of procenium theatre into the world of Improv and beautifully marrying the two worlds. Their quest for newer and more relevant forms of communication has lead them to innovate formats of theatre like 'Complete The Story', 'Musaira Theatre' , 'Perspective Theatre' and they have been able to effortlessly intergrate other formats like 'Theatre of the Oppressed' and 'Forum theatre' into YT's DNA and use them effectively in the Urban setting handling issues of the here and now. Together they have been instrumental in creating a new theatre langague and style of work in their devised productions.
Read more about formats of interactive theatre>>

They have a unique ability to work with intutive free flowing creative work and at the same time have a detailed processs and structure for the Beyond stage & organisational functions. They have managed to create a system which not only trains novices in theatre but also constantly motivates the team to consistently dedicate time & commit to Theatre. Team members have been with the group for more than 5 years is an indication that they have been able to retain, sustain and transform the initiatial enthusists into ardent theatre performers. Creating a self sustaining theatre organisation.

Both of them have been trained by some of the best National & International Faculties in Theatre, Improv, and Theatre for change.

Theatre Formats trained include: Playback Theatre, Theatre Sports, Harold, Psychodrama and Sociometry, Boal Methodology, and Joker System, Director's Training & Art of Stage Lighting.

Theatre & Improv Training: Trained by Dr. Shekar Sheshadiri, Rajat Kapur, Neelam Mansingh, Quasar padamsee, Jennei Kristel, Evan Hastings, Madhu Shukla, Adam Dow, Astrid Krimmer, Jeff and Ross.

 

 

RANJI DAVID

Current Roles at Yours Truly Theatre:
Director, Trainer, Actor, Improv actor and Light Designer

Background: With over 200 Playback Theatre shows, 50 Complete-The-Story shows, several other plays both in Interactive and Scripted format he has in the last 12 years not only produced, directed, acted in several productions, but has also transformed people with no prior theatre experiences into some of the finest theatre actors and continues to do so.

As trainer: He brings with him over a decade of strong professional training background right from fresher’s to Senior Management of diverse industries. He has a unique ability to train young actors, get the best out of them, helping them in an effortless manner. He creates a complete non-judemental environment which let's the team members grow in their confidence and self esteem and in turn helping them to freely express themselves. He has trained more than 20 batches and more than 400 people in Basic acting and theatre workshop.

As an actor: His strong ability to visualise as director lets him intergrate strong sense of visual when he is acting. His ability to create realistic, exaggarateed characters through complete physical transformations. Ranji has worked with the best known Directors and acted in many plays. He plays character with complete ease: argan in moliere Imaginary Invaild or playing the senstive father in Tagore Kabuliwalah or display the struggle of a contemprary painter in the play Bhagwaan Dhoondo or playing the Common Man himself, he constantly likes to improvise even in a scripted performance which helps him evolve the character.

As a improv actor: There is no doubt that the biggest strenght Ranji is his improvisation skills, he can create magic out of nothing. There are times when he will improvise completely out of the box letting audience wander with him and come back and intergrate and hit it hard with the main theme and context.

As a director: His strength is his ability to amalgamate physical movements, lights and music in productions. His strong visulisation skills coupled with asthetic sense lets him explore beyond ordinary. He has strong sense of music & rythm and can compose music on the fly and has unique ability seamlessly intergrate it in the theatre performances.

As a Light Designer: BD and CM are productions which show a glimpse of his artistic ability of designing lights and effects which create a wow experience for an audience. He is also notorious for his ability to compose songs and even sing some of the songs of our most recent productions.

Ranji has also acquired new found skill of composing music, he has composed music for YT's latest productions Bhagwaan Dhoondo and Common Man.


Links to Articles written by Ranji>>
From a Diary

 

NANDINI RAO:

Current Roles at Yours Truly Theatre:
Director, Trainer, Playwright, Actor and Improv Actor

Background: With a Bachelors in Fine Arts from Chitra Kala Parishad, Nandini is the third generation of theatre artists from one of Bangalore's oldest theatre family “Prabhath” known world over for their Art, Dance, Drama and Harikatha parampara.

More than a decade in theatre, she has not only directed and acted in several plays but also has been involved in television, though Theatre has been her main focus by choice.

Her strengths include scripting, conceptualization, movement based work with an ability to emotionally resonate to audiences in productions. Her ability to simpfly the process of devised work makes her work exciting.

As the Creative Director: With over a decade's experience in the marketing and communication industry as a Creative Director, her ability to connect, communicate, and convey a strong mélange of visuals and words help her to constantly re-invent and innovate in theatre. She continues to be the force behind making YT a strong Brand.

As an actor: Having performed with best known names in the city, Nandini has grown as a fine actress. She can play multiple characters with ease. She has been done many plays including Moliere's Imaginary Invaild, Flying Doctor, Sganarelle, Tagore Post office, Kabuliwalah to many devised productions such as Common Man & Bhagwaan Dhoondo.

As an Improv actor: Her natural strength is her ability do to Improv with ease and with more than 300 Improv shows in various formats of improvisation along with her in depth knowledge and research reflects in her improv performances.

As a Director: Deeply rooted to the Indian traditions of dramaturgy, she is also know to get ground breaking creative compositions in a manner that is flamboyant and structured. Her creative interpretation of scripts have been artistically brave and visually dynamic, her recent experiments in productions have been with mixed media jutapoxed into production giving it a texture that have been high on aesthetic quotients. Sculpting out compositions with materials, rehersals, and with an ability to challenge the best in an actor to bring out artistic designs.

As a Playwright: Nandini has a natural inclination to writing, however her approach to scripts is strongly from her experience as a Director. You can see in her work a lot of devised concepts which are intergrated with ease. Her scripts have always dealt with the issues of today with a strong dosage of humor and a tremendous ability to relate to the audiences.

Her contribution to the world of theatre also has been her abilty to create innovative styles and formats of theatre through rigorous research. Perspective theatre & Mushiara theatre have been some of her contributions.

Links to Articles written by Nandini:
Professionalism in Theatre :

Growing out of college Spoofs:

A few media articles featuring Ranji and Nandini include :