Shri Raj Bisaria

Founder Director

RAJ BISARIA a pioneer Theatre Director and Educator of Modren Theatre in North India. As educationist he served as professor in Department of English University of Lucknow.

In 1962 he formed the first ever modern theatre training group at University and later on in 1966 established Theatre Arts Workshop (TAW) one of the oldest bilingual theatre training and performing group of the state. A theatre educationist and practitioner he pioneered the cause of theatre training in north India infusing sensibility, discipline and sophistication to the art of theatre.

In 1975 he conducted first Theatre Training Workshop in U.P, Which led Government of U.P to initiate a professional theatre training programme giving birth to Bhartendu Natya Akademi in 1975. After the National School of Drama, it is second National School of Dramatic Arts.

Since 1975 he made efforts to encourage folk theatre of U.P. Directing Nautanki in 1980 for Bhartendu Natya Academy and recently directed Othello utilising the elements of Nautanki with the professional repertory company of National School of Drama, thereby achieving a rare blend of the international Shakespeare and a robust Indian folk form. His prominent and memorable productions are Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Othello, King Lear, Shaw's Candida, Sartre's In Camera, Anouith's Antigone, Strindberg's Father and plays of Chekhov, Ionesco, Tennessee Williams, Peter Shaffer, Harold Printer and so on. Major productions of Indian origin are Adhe Adhure, Baqi itihas, Suno Janmejaya, Garbo, Andha Yug, Guinea Pig etc.