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SBT News   Photo Gallery   Media Gallery   Publication   Scheme   Credit   Children's E-magazine   Annual Play     SALAAM BAALAK TRUST Annual Play Background The purpose of Salaam Baalak Trust is to provide not only the basic services such as shelter, nutrition, health care and education but also to foster the holistic development of the children. Apart from following the formal education curriculum children and youngsters at SBT are encouraged to pursue additional interests such as sports or creative activities. Many of the children at SBT have shown to be extremely talented dancers, singers, painters and actors. That is why SBT makes an effort to create the opportunity for them to interact with established professionals in the field. SBT's children are trained in different artistic fields on a regular basis. On different occasions they get a chance to show their talents publicly. The biggest one of these events are the annual theatre play which takes place every year in autumn. It is a very important event, both to the children and the organisation, as it contributes to the reputation and popularity of individual actors as well as the organisation as a whole. It is an opportunity for the SBT children to communicate with guests from different social backgrounds. And it is also an occasion of great enjoyment for all the participants. The Importance of Theatre for SBT work The emphasis on the artistic component in SBT's strategy has served the organisation a number of purposes throughout the years. The following constitute only a few of the benefits that SBT draws from its theatre activity. • Therapeutic Component Apart from being the source of enjoyment, the drama classes also have a therapeutic value. Bodily expression, identification with a different character and acting out fictitious situations all constitute alternative means to discover and deal with unresolved issues and unleash pent-up emotions. Similarly, choosing the topic of a play, discussing it with teachers and peers provides a stimulus and outlet for thought about issues that, although important to them, may not come up in the formal school curriculum. Thus, drama has been one of the main pillars of Salaam Balaak's work with the street children. It helps exploring their talents and unfolds their personality, which is necessary for their confidence building. • Advocacy Component A second major benefit, which emerges from the annual play, is the public awareness that it creates among different social strata. Yearly around 1500 children and grown-ups attend the SBT annual play and, besides enjoying the show, are confronted with the concerns, difficulties and questions raised by street children. Besides seeking to sensitize children from different social backgrounds by inviting numerous public and government school classes to watch the plays, SBT also aims at extending this type of awareness creation at political level: each year the SBT annual play counts among its guests figures of political relevance such as the Chief Minister of Delhi or the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment. Besides increasing awareness about Delhi's street children and work of the Salaam Baalak Trust among the general public, the annual plays also have the function of creating contact between the SBT children and children from other strata of society. It is very important that the children of Salaam Baalak Trust are confronted with different realities on a regular basis, as these experiences teach them about different ways of living and stimulate their ambitions. • Creative Component Finally, the artistic education that children receive at SBT is also meant to contribute to the children's holistic education. Apart from developing their intellectual and physical capacities through formal schooling and sports activities, it is SBT's firm belief, that a comprehensive education should also stimulate the children's creativity and artistic talents. In its long involvement with theatre, SBT has been able to identify and promote a large number of extremely gifted children. Ramgopal Verma in the film "COMPANY" as a character artist. He is currently establishing himself in Bollywood. Other children like Shahadat, Babloo and Rambabu have acted in various Television serials this year. Saleem played the lead role for the Oscar nominated film "Little Terrorist". The annual play gives talented young actors the opportunity to prove themselves to the wider public and to gain recognition and popularity. SBT's theatre tradition Over the years SBT has built up a well-grounded reputation in terms of the quality and the commitment of its theatre group. From the very beginning of the Salaam Baalak Trust's activity, children have been encouraged to get involved in conceiving and acting out short plays, street plays, skits and full length plays. Since 1990, the SBT theatre group has given a public theatre performance every year. Every detail of the show - the writing/adaptation of the script, the acting, the costumes etc. - is entirely realized by the children themselves, under the supervision of director Kapil Dev, who himself joined Salaam Baalak as a student 17 years ago. Today, after completing his formal education with Dadi Pudumjee and attending workshops in India and abroad, he is recognized not only for his acting and directing but also a popular puppeteer, masks maker and costume designer. Since 1995 he has been committed to the SBT theatre group and has successfully implemented 9 productions. Professional guidance The theatre classes represent a pleasant distraction for the children. Mr. Kapil gives regular workshops after the children's formal school duty is completed. During the months preceding the annual play, rehearsals take place on a daily basis. Previous Plays           .