Youth drama festival

Pix and text by Wehelle Piyathilake Maharagama Special Correspondent

The 31st Youth Drama Festival organized by the National Youth Services Council was held recently at the National Youth Theatre, Maharagama.

This is the only Youth Drama Festival conducted annually in Sri Lanka.

Most of the talented veteran dramatists in the national level are been introduced by this Youth Drama Festival.

Around 120 short plays and 40 lengthy dramas are been forwarded for the first round of the competition and six lengthy dramas and 15 short plays qualified for the final round.

Realistic and translation dramas were included at the final round. These are the results of the lengthy dramas competition.

1. Gladiator Premaya by Namal Jayasinghe

2. Happy Journey by Jehan Srikantha Appuhamy

3. Janelen Paninnada by Dhanusika Nayana Kumari

Results of the Short Drama Competition:

1. Mage Kale Weerayek by Sudath Abeysiriwardana

2. Merenna Widiyak Kiyanna by Ruwan Hettiarachchi

3. Dinasor Premaya by Nuwan Dharshana.

The young talented dramatist were awarded, rewarded and crowned at the festival in association with the Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma, Deputy Minister Duminda Dissanayake and the Chairman Director General Lalith Piyum Perera and a large gathering of veterans and reputed Sinhala and Tamil dramatists.

The best lengthy drama production was Gladiator Premaya (Gladiator Love) by Namal Jayasinghe and the Best Short Drama was Mage Kale Weerayek (A hero in my time) by Sugath Abeysiriwardana. Best actress awarded at the finals was Samadhi Laksiri (Janelen Paninnada) and the best actor was Kalana Gunasekara from Gladiator Premaya.

The best actress of the Short Drama Contest was Sudhara Randeni from The Box short drama.

Madura Kanchana from the short drama Mage Kale Weerayek from crowned as the best actor.