Paschimbanga Natya Akademi
Paschimbanga Natya Akademi, is a learned society for drama and theatre in West Bengal, India. Established on 26 September 1987, it is a wing of the Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, Government of West Bengal. The aim of this society is to develop skill and expertise, to document and archive the history of Bengali theatre, to disseminate information, to understand theories, as well as to promote and project significant creativity in the field.
Overview
The Natya Akademi conducts annual theatre festivals, seminars, public lectures, training workshops and publishes research works and books on Bengali drama. It confers Dinabandhu Puraskar and Girish Puraskar, two of the most prestigious theatre awards in the state, for production playwriting, acting, direction, stagecraft and design, and music.The Natya Akademi owns a number of theatre halls including Academy of Fine Arts, Bijon Theatre, Girish Mancha, Jogesh Mime Akademi, Madhusudan Mancha, Mahajati Sadan, Muktangan Rangalaya, Rabindra Sadan, Sisir Mancha, Sujata Sadan, Tapan Theatre and University Institute Hall.
The Natya Akademi publishes Natya Akademi Patrika, an annual journal featuring academic essays, lectures, obituaries, play scripts, archival reprints, reports etc. It has also produced classics including William Shakespeare's Chaitali Rater Swapno, Girish Chandra Ghosh's Balidan and Rabindranath Tagore's Chirakumar Sabha etc.