LUCKNOW, March 28 -- An event featuring the reading of a global message and a play was organised by Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) on Friday to mark World Theatre Day. The programme began with the reading of this year's message by renowned American theatre director and actor Willem Dafoe. Following the message, IPTA's national executive president Rakesh Veda read his new play titled 1931. The play explores the martyrdom of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev, while also delving into the dilemmas of Mahatma Gandhi during the Round Table Conference. It creatively portrays imagined dialogues between Gandhi and figures such as Charlie Chaplin and George Bernard Shaw. Meanwhile, a seminar focusing on youth in contemporary theatre was organised at Bharatendu Natya Akademi on Friday. The session was chaired by the academy's chairperson, Rati Shankar Tripathi, and featured theatre personality Prof Ajay Malkani from Ranchi as the chief speaker. In his presidential address, Tripathi emphasized that theatre today is not just a medium of expression but also a powerful platform for social awareness and cultural dialogue. He stressed the importance of channeling the creative energy of youth in a positive direction through theatre, stating that the younger generation can bring new dimensions to India's theatrical traditions. Keynote speaker Prof Malkani highlighted that contemporary youth theatre is increasingly enriched by new technologies and a global perspective. He emphasized that youth participation in theatre must be rooted in quality and practice. A three-day theatre festival - Natya Nirvaan (Season-2), organised by BAFTA Theatre Group, commenced with enthusiasm on the occasion of World Theatre Day on Friday at Sant Gadge Ji Maharaj Auditorium. The event opened with the English solo performance "Notions Between You and Me", directed and performed by Savita Rani. The play explored themes of social identity, perceptions, and the tensions arising between them with such intensity that the entire auditorium fell silent....