Gunasena Galappatty
Encyclopedia
Gunasena Galappattyin Dikwella in Matara, Sri Lanka
) was a Sri Lanka
n dramatist, and Sinhala Radio Play writer regarded as the pioneer of suspense drama in Sri Lanka.
, Peradeniya
campus to study for a bachelors degree in Economics. At Peradeniya, he started associating with Professor Ediriweera Sarachchandra
and Charles Silva and was involved in theatre work.
His first production was a folk drama "Sandakinduru" in 1957 in which he blended folk drama with modern Sinhalese music. This was a success and he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study experimental theatre at University of Yale, USA.
He was a Teacher at Kotte Ananda Sastralaya in 1955 and next joined for a while to State Language Department as a translator again continue as a Teacher .
in 1959, the first Sri Lankan to work there as well as in off-Broadway
productions. During this time, he came under influence of the Method
school, the American offshoot of the Stanislavsky approach to acting and stagecraft. He worked under two distinguished teachers, Herbert Berghoff and Uta Hagen
, both exponents of European experimental theatre
. He acted in and co-produced two Broadway dramas, Tea House of the August Moon and The Marriage-Go-Round
.
He then traveled to many countries including Spain
, Japan
and Russia
to study various drama styles and methods. He admired Spain's Federico García Lorca
and spent few weeks experiencing Lorca productions such as Yerma. In Japan he studied traditional kabuki
drama and was involved in a popular production: The Father.
Returning to Sri Lanka in 1961, Galappatty resumed his theatre work. Abandonning the operatic form modelled on Charles Silva and Sarachhandra crystallization of the Nadagam, he branched out on a new line which tried to fuse the inner-directed acting style that he had imbibed in Broadway with the non-naturalistic native tradition. In 1962, he produced a milestone in Sri Lankan theatre, "Muduputtu" (Sons of the Seas), showing that the traditional stylistic theatre could be blended very effectively with western realistic technique. Following this he was at the forefront of Sri Lankan theatre and his productions launchd the careers of many talented actors. He was called upon to represent Sri Lanka at United Nations conferences and other international activities.
Matara, Sri Lanka
Matara is a city on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, 160 km from Colombo. It is one of the largest cities in Sri Lanka. It was deeply affected by the Asian tsunami in December 2004.-History:...
) was a Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n dramatist, and Sinhala Radio Play writer regarded as the pioneer of suspense drama in Sri Lanka.
Education
Galappatty attended Dikwella Central College and Matara Rahula College. In 1952, he entered University of CeylonUniversity of Ceylon
The University of Ceylon was the only university in Sri Lanka from 1942 until 1972. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced it with the University of Sri Lanka which existed from 1973 to 1978. In 1978 it was...
, Peradeniya
Peradeniya
Peradeniya is a town of about 50,000 inhabitants on the outskirts of Kandy in Sri Lanka. It is situated on the A1 main road connecting Kandy and Colombo, just a few kilometres west of Kandy....
campus to study for a bachelors degree in Economics. At Peradeniya, he started associating with Professor Ediriweera Sarachchandra
Ediriweera Sarachchandra
Ediriweera Sarachchandra was an Sri Lankan playwright, novelist, poet, literary critic, essayist and social commentator. Considered Sri Lanka's premier playwright, he was a senior lecturer at the University of Peradeniya for many years and served as Sri Lankan Ambassador to France .- Early...
and Charles Silva and was involved in theatre work.
His first production was a folk drama "Sandakinduru" in 1957 in which he blended folk drama with modern Sinhalese music. This was a success and he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study experimental theatre at University of Yale, USA.
He was a Teacher at Kotte Ananda Sastralaya in 1955 and next joined for a while to State Language Department as a translator again continue as a Teacher .
Career
From Yale, he went to BroadwayBroadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in 1959, the first Sri Lankan to work there as well as in off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
productions. During this time, he came under influence of the Method
Method acting
Method acting is a phrase that loosely refers to a family of techniques used by actors to create in themselves the thoughts and emotions of their characters, so as to develop lifelike performances...
school, the American offshoot of the Stanislavsky approach to acting and stagecraft. He worked under two distinguished teachers, Herbert Berghoff and Uta Hagen
Uta Hagen
Uta Thyra Hagen was a German-born American actress and drama teacher. She originated the role of Martha in the 1963 Broadway premiere of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee...
, both exponents of European experimental theatre
Experimental theatre
Experimental theatre is a general term for various movements in Western theatre that began in the late 19th century as a retraction against the dominant vent governing the writing and production of dramatical menstrophy, and age in particular. The term has shifted over time as the mainstream...
. He acted in and co-produced two Broadway dramas, Tea House of the August Moon and The Marriage-Go-Round
The Marriage-Go-Round
The Marriage-Go-Round is a 1958 play written by Leslie Stevens and a 1961 film adaptation also written and produced by Stevens. It was inspired by a suggestion that dancer Isadora Duncan supposedly made to playwright George Bernard Shaw: the two of them should have a child because "with your mind...
.
He then traveled to many countries including Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to study various drama styles and methods. He admired Spain's Federico García Lorca
Federico García Lorca
Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca was a Spanish poet, dramatist and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblematic member of the Generation of '27. He is believed to be one of thousands who were summarily shot by anti-communist death squads...
and spent few weeks experiencing Lorca productions such as Yerma. In Japan he studied traditional kabuki
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
drama and was involved in a popular production: The Father.
Returning to Sri Lanka in 1961, Galappatty resumed his theatre work. Abandonning the operatic form modelled on Charles Silva and Sarachhandra crystallization of the Nadagam, he branched out on a new line which tried to fuse the inner-directed acting style that he had imbibed in Broadway with the non-naturalistic native tradition. In 1962, he produced a milestone in Sri Lankan theatre, "Muduputtu" (Sons of the Seas), showing that the traditional stylistic theatre could be blended very effectively with western realistic technique. Following this he was at the forefront of Sri Lankan theatre and his productions launchd the careers of many talented actors. He was called upon to represent Sri Lanka at United Nations conferences and other international activities.
Produced Plays
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