State drama festival brought out many dramatists

Cultural Affairs and National Heritage Minister Mahinda Yapa Abayawardhana participated at the National Drama Awards Festival - 2006 held at the John de Silva theatre recently.

At the Ceremony, K. Vijayasekaran's "Money Daneyam" was voted the best Tamil drama.

M. Kalidas who played the role of Varandas in the drama Varandas and S. Manimekhala who posed as Anjalee in the Vendam Inda Manida Piravi were adjudged the best actor and actress respectively.

Parakkrama Niriella who won the award for the best direction and best creation donated his cash award to the final set-up to undertake projects for the welfare of female workers in garment factories and estate sector.

The president of the Cultural Ministry's sub-council on Arts accepted the donation to be invested in a drama centred on garment and estate workers.

The Town Hall Foundation Director General, Douglas Siriwardane agreed to grant the facility of staging the three best dramas free of charge for three days at the Town Hall Theatre.

A special award was presented to the Veteran dramatist, Henry Jayasena in recognition of his service to the Sinhala drama which symbolized Sinhala culture.

Whilst declaring 2007 the year of Drama the Minister remarked that the event would herald a renaissance in ndigenous drama as in 1956. He appealed to the dramatists to stage good dramas for the benefit of future generations.

Instead of conducting separate Sinhala and Tamil drama festivals, the government this time decided to have one festival In view of the unsettled conditions prevailing in the northern and eastern parts of the country immense difficulties arose in attracting quality Tamil creations, the minister stressed.

Cultural Ministry Secretary, G. L. W. Samarasinghe, Director, Cultural Affairs E. M. Abhayaratne, National Drama sub-council Chairman, Tilak Jayaratne and Arts council chairman, Dharmasena Pathiraja participated at the ceremony.