AIMS & OBJECTIVES
The Peer Group, and the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop was brought into being with the following aims and objectives...
Development of Rural & Urban Theatre
Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop and the Peer Group wants to use all its resources and generate all the possible help it can get nationally and internationally to develop it’s existing theatre facility and a theatre complex consisting of the following departments:
Inspite of being the biggest theatre company in the country, Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop does not have it’s own theatre. All the above mentioned departments - except for the make-up department - are in existence and are the source of the workshop funding. The lighting department is the biggest in the country. There are in house carpenters, electricians, sound engineers and substantial sound equipment for theatrical performances and concerts. We only need to upgrade them and bring them up to international standards.
The Theatre complex is visualized to become the nucleus of the national theatre movement. We want to plan productions to create awareness of social issues in the developing rural areas and education theatre for urban and rural areas. We aim to arrange co-productions with foreign companies dealing with a variety of different subject matters and styles. We also aim to have exchange programs with international artists and theatre teachers to create plays by doing workshops all designed to create an awareness for our audiences of the issues that confront them and the international community and expose them to other cultures. In this way we will - hopefully - creat a harmony and understanding between the different peoples.
For the first time in the history of Pakistan Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop established a modern puppet theatre company which has now been performing for the last fifteen years. The workshop laid down the foundation of puppetry as an art form in Pakistan.
The puppet theatre has held innumerable workshops for children and adults. At the request of school managements it had produced programs for the youth and the children on special subjects.
Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop has also organized a regular exchange of programs with artists of foreign countries who have brought and exhibited their art in Pakistan and held workshops in various schools.
As a result of their continuous work, Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop puppet Theatre already has considerable assets in props and stage craft including hundreds of puppets.
Our puppet theatre has proved itself in driving messages home about major issues. It appears to succeed where books, classroom, and printed matter fail.
We plan to expand the production under the nucleus of the theatre complex to tour in the rural areas. The development program includes the following:
We have at present mobile theatres and a puppet making workshop but we want to upgrade them to the best international standards.
Organization of International Arts Festival
No organization in Pakistan -government or private - have ever staged an international arts festival.
In the face of unimaginable difficulties Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop had successfully performed a total of four major international festivals. These festivals have been a tremendous experience for the performers and the audiences. These events are also helping Pakistan performing arts to came up to international standards.
We aim to develop this further by adding a few more festivals - including a music festival and a film festival. The puppet theatre and theatre festivals are an ongoing event now.
Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop was the first company in Pakistan to develop the idea of child art competitions with specific themes like peace on earth and environment and these competitions were held all over Pakistan. These events created a creative group activity and awareness amongst the youth and children and provided them opportunities to express their ideas on global issues.
These art competitions are regular events held all over Pakistan, we need help to make these events more and more interesting - the help could be financial or in facilities or in specialists in youth and child activities.
Presentation of Traditional Arts
We want to motivate and help other national groups by holding workshops and seminars to develop performing arts keeping our own traditions as the foundation.
This is because we believe that the traditional arts in Pakistan are not being given the attention that they deserve, and if they are left in their current state they may be lost forever.