Telugu theatre has produced several stalwarts but not many are known, theatre lover Sunkara Prabhakara Rao has said. At a meeting organised by the Ranga Sai Nataka Sangham at Kalabharathi on Monday as part of the Telugu Theatre Day celebrations, he called for greater patronage of theatre. He lauded the efforts of founder president of the Sangham Badamgeer Sai towards the promotion of Telugu theatre. Mr. Prabhakara Rao said the history of Telugu theatre was two centuries old. He appealed to the theatre lovers to buy tickets and watch stage plays even if they were not in a position to sponsor shows. This was important for the survival of Telugu theatre.
Writer and stage actor Meegada Ramalinga Swamy recalled that the first Telugu play was staged in 1850.
Founder of Kala Vedika Nanduri Ramakrishna lauded the efforts of Badamgeer Sai. Theatre personalities Botta Venugopala Rao, K.G.R. Gandhi and K.G. Venu participated. Three short plays: ‘Goyya', directed by K.S.Y. Satya Prasad, ‘Kanyasulkam', directed by Chalasani Prasad, and ‘Natulunnaru Jagratta', directed by P.V. Ramana Murthy, were staged on the occasion.
