North South University Cine and Drama Club
NSUCDC was initiated by Abdus Selim, a professor in the English Department of NSU. 'Our purpose of starting NSUCDC was to familiarise the students with the old art of drama. We also wanted to build their self-confidence by getting them to perform as drama activists,' said professor Selim.
NSUCDC has always worked with eminent directors, writers and theatre groups. Up till now they have staged three annual productions and 10 in-house productions. Among the annual productions is Rabindranath Tagore's Tasher Desh. This play was directed by Ataur Rahman, a well known television and theatre director/ actor working with the renowned theatre group Nagorik Natyodol. The Taming of the Shrew was directed by Dr Israfil Shaheen, Assistant Professor, Theatre and Music Department of Dhaka University. Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap was also directed by Israfil Shaheen. The upcoming play Moliere's The Would Be Gentleman is another annual production which has been translated by professor Abdus Selim and will be directed by Dr Israfil Shaheen this June. Apart from performing in plays, NSUCDC members have also witnessed several performances by different theatre groups on their university campus.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Besides the club activities performed by NSUCDC, drama has also been offered as a general education course in NSU. The academic course is entitled 'Introduction to Dramatics'. Introduction of a drama course in the regular curriculum of NSU is also a contribution of NSUCDC. The future plan of NSUCDC is to arrange two productions in a year and to establish drama as a full-fledged department.
The students of NSU are gradually developing an interest in the drama club. In the words of club activist Elita Karim:'Performing in an art like drama helps us appreciate different social values. Drama also helps us develop as mature people and exposes us to the rich theatre culture.' Dr Israfil Shaheen who has already directed two productions and is about to direct another, said: 'The frustration that is prevalent in today's youth can be reduced by keeping them engaged in drama.'