Bhubaneswar, May 22: Veteran theatre personality Surya Mohanty's two-week workshop is making little theatre enthusiasts look at plays from a fresh perspective.

Fifteen students from classes IV to IX of various schools in the city are taking part in the workshop that is being held at a community centre in Khandagiri. The participants are being encouraged to open up and relax their body and mind.

"The aim is to promote theatre as a co-curricular activity that facilitates the development of various facets of one's personality. Many of these students have become mechanical from the constant pressure in their academic life. So, we are trying to ease them up through theatre," said Mohanty, an alumnus of the National School of Drama in New Delhi.

The participants are being taught about the various aspects of theatre production such as stage designing, scriptwriting as well as the intricacies of acting. Classes were also held on facial expressions and voice modulation.

The students are being divided into groups and given topics with a free hand to explore their creative pursuits with special focus on improvisational theatre.

"I am encouraging them to innovate and imagine. Topics such as Durga Puja or a scene at a bus stand are given and the students are coming up with little stories to enact them," said Mohanty.

The participants appear to be looking at theatre from a fresh perspective after taking part in the children's workshop.

"I have realised that theatre is not about picking a play and mugging up the dialogues. One can be extremely creative and use one's personal feelings and concepts to create something new," said Krishna, who is taking part in the workshop.

The workshop will end on May 30 with a demonstration for the parents of the participants.

Mohanty has been hosting theatre workshops for children at several rural parts of the state. He feels the concept of children's theatre is still unexplored in Odisha.

"It is very important to break out of imposed conventions and nurture the talents of the younger generation. Very little is done to promote children's theatre so workshops and discussions are needed to garner their interest in the field," he said.