About Mandala Drama School:
Theatre Schooling for Social Change, Conflict Transformation and Peace Building
Mandala Drama School (MDS) is Nepal’s pioneering long-term residential theatre training program, initiated by Mandala Theatre Nepal in 2020. The school was born out of the realization that Nepal lacked structured, academic-style theatre education that could nurture both artistry and social engagement. With the support of Civil Peace Service (GIZ/ZFD), MDS provides aspiring theatre practitioners and teachers with intensive training that blends artistic excellence with social responsibility. With a strong emphasis on applied theatre, the program encourages participants to use theatre as a tool for dialogue, peace-building, and community transformation.
Vision and Mission
Vision: To build a new generation of theatre practitioners and teachers who contribute to society through creativity, empathy, and non-violent artistic approaches.
Mission: To provide holistic theatre education that bridges practice, pedagogy, and social engagement, fostering theatre’s role in peace-building, conflict transformation, and community development.
Objectives
- Develop skilled theatre practitioners who are socially responsible and committed to promoting peace, human rights, and sustainable community development.
- Use theatre as a non-violent medium for dialogue, conflict transformation, and fostering mutual respect among diverse groups.
- Prepare qualified theatre educators who can expand inclusive arts education and access to creative expression in underserved communities.
- Preserve, revitalize, and innovate Nepal’s indigenous and folk theatre traditions as part of cultural heritage and identity.
- Facilitate community-based theatre projects that encourage participation, critical thinking, and collective problem-solving.
- Foster cross-cultural understanding by integrating global and local theatre practices, nurturing empathy and solidarity across borders.
Program Design
Each batch of MDS runs for 1.5 years, divided into three trimesters, with residential facilities provided at Mandala Theatre Nepal.
Curriculum Highlights:
- Core theatre practices: acting, directing, playwriting, theatre history, and pedagogy.
- Applied theatre: community theatre, theatre for social change, conflict transformation, and disaster risk communication.
- Folk theatre research: students return to their home regions to study local traditions and integrate them into their learning.
- Production & thesis: each batch concludes with productions and research-based projects.
- Community engagement: students conduct free theatre workshops in their communities as part of their scholarship commitment.
Achievements and Impact
Mandala Theatre-Nepal, with the support of Civil Peace Service (GIZ/ZFD) has successfully completed two batches of Mandala Drama School, reaching direct participants from 20 districts of Nepal.
- First Batch (2020–2021): 16 students graduated, now actively working in theatre, education, media, and social development.
The inaugural batch of Mandala Drama School marked a historic step in long-term theatre education in Nepal. Out of 161 applications received from across the country, 16 students were carefully selected—8 male and 8 female participants representing all seven provinces, diverse castes, ethnicities, and experiences. The selection prioritized interest, commitment, prior experience, and inclusion, ensuring a truly representative cohort.
These students came together in a residential setting for an intensive 18-month program, immersing themselves in acting, directing, playwriting, theatre history, and pedagogy, alongside workshops in applied theatre practices. During their training, they explored multiple forms of performance, including forum theatre, playback theatre, site-specific theatre, and radio drama. As part of their coursework, they wrote, designed, and directed four original plays addressing the impacts of Nepal’s armed conflict. Their journey culminated in the collective acting production Jijivisha.
Despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic, the batch successfully completed the program, producing plays and engaging in community-based projects. For their final externship assignment, all participants returned to their communities to conduct free theatre workshops, extending the impact of their training beyond the classroom.
Today, the graduates are actively contributing in diverse fields—some have pursued professional careers in theatre and film, others are working as drama educators in schools, while many are applying theatre skills in media, social development, and peace-building. This pioneering batch set a benchmark, demonstrating that dedicated theatre training in Nepal can create long-lasting artistic and social transformation.
Read the full list of participants
- Second Batch (2023–2024): 12 students graduated after completing thesis research on Nepali folk theatre traditions, combining academic study with creative practice.
The second batch of Mandala Drama School built upon the foundation of the first, with 12 students completing the program. Out of 105 applications received from across the country, 12 participants were selected—7 male and 5 female—from all seven provinces, diverse in caste, ethnicity, and background. Selection prioritized interest, commitment, prior experience, and inclusivity, ensuring broad representation.
This cohort placed strong emphasis on linking theory with practice. Alongside their core training in acting, directing, playwriting, and applied theatre, they experimented with performance forms such as forum theatre, playback theatre, site-specific theatre, and lyrical drama. Together, they wrote, designed, directed, and produced four original plays on varied issues and subjects, and concluded their acting journey with Aadha Adalat, an adaptation of 12 Angry Men by Reginald Rose.
A defining feature of this batch was their thesis research on Nepali folk theatre traditions. Each student traveled to their home region to explore local performance practices—interviewing community elders, documenting oral traditions, and learning directly from folk artists. These investigations informed their creative work at the school, weaving indigenous practices into contemporary theatre-making. A collection of their thesis articles is currently under compilation and will soon be published, making this batch a unique blend of academic inquiry and artistic expression.
After completing the program, all participants conducted free workshops in their communities as part of their final externship assignment. Many have since continued documenting and practicing folk theatre in their localities, while others have remained in Kathmandu to enrich Nepal’s theatre scene. Their journey showed how theatre education can both honor tradition and generate innovative contemporary practice.
Read the full list of participants
- Community Reach: Over 20 community-based workshops conducted across Nepal, engaging diverse groups and fostering local participation.
Beyond its classroom walls, Mandala Drama School has consistently extended its learning to communities across Nepal. As part of their scholarship commitment, students from both batches conducted free theatre workshops in their home districts and other regions, engaging diverse groups such as school children, women’s collectives, peace volunteers, and youth clubs. These workshops introduced participants to theatre as a tool for expression, confidence building, and dialogue on local issues. Altogether, more than 20 community-based workshops were carried out during the training period, impacting hundreds of participants.
Since their graduation, the number of community projects has grown significantly. Graduates of MDS are frequently organizing theatre programs in schools, NGOs, and communities across the country, extending theatre’s reach far beyond the capital. Their contributions are not limited to performance—many are actively working in education and social development, using theatre as a medium for dialogue and change. From organizing international theatre festivals to winning community theatre project awards, the graduates have been playing a vital role in both the artistic and developmental landscape of Nepal. They have also participated in, and received awards at, international theatre festivals in Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka, further showcasing the global potential of Nepali theatre practitioners.
This ongoing engagement demonstrates that theatre education at Mandala is not only about nurturing individual artistry but also about fostering collective empowerment and sustainable impact in society.
- Institutional Contribution: Opened dialogue with Tribhuvan University and other stakeholders to introduce applied theatre as an academic subject in Nepal.
One of the most significant impacts of Mandala Drama School lies in its contribution to Nepal’s broader educational and cultural landscape. The school has sparked dialogue with Tribhuvan University and other stakeholders about the formal introduction of applied theatre into academic curricula. Through documentation of its processes, productions, and outcomes, MDS has demonstrated the feasibility and necessity of theatre education that goes beyond performance to include social engagement and research. These conversations have generated interest within universities and cultural institutions, pointing towards the possibility of establishing an accredited applied theatre program in the near future. By bridging practice, pedagogy, and policy, Mandala Drama School has positioned itself as both a pioneer and an advocate for theatre education in Nepal.
At the same time, the MDS team has been actively reaching out to like-minded programs and organizations to expand its scope internationally. The school was invited to take part in the Academic Thespian Theatre Festival organized by the University of Visual and Performing Arts in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where the first batch graduates performed Wounds of War 2.0. The production received immense appreciation from audiences and critics alike. Following the performance, the school team was invited by the Vice Chancellor of the university for a meeting on future collaborations, resulting in academic support through reading materials and access to their e-library.
Similarly, MDS has initiated conversations with Drama for Life, the applied theatre program in South Africa, exploring possibilities of future collaboration. Drama schools in Germany have also expressed interest in partnership. Most recently, responding to the interest of the Department of Fine Arts at Tribhuvan University, MDS has been coordinating efforts to establish a formal theatre education system in Nepal.
Future Directions
At Mandala Drama School, we believe theatre must remain a space open to all—where passion, imagination, and lived experience matter as much as formal qualifications. As we look ahead, our path continues in two parallel directions: pursuing academic recognition for theatre studies in Nepal, while sustaining our non-academic programs that welcome people from every walk of life.
Formal academic affiliation will give theatre a permanent place in higher education, with structured curriculum and long-term recognition. Yet, non-academic programs remain just as vital, ensuring that the transformative power of theatre is accessible to grassroots leaders, women from rural areas, youth without formal degrees, and all those who bring unique voices to the stage. By keeping this door open, the school sustains a diverse learning community—one where creativity becomes a force for dialogue, healing, and change.
Our vision is to nurture practitioners who carry theatre beyond the stage—into villages, schools, public spaces, and communities where stories of dignity, justice, and equality need to be told. In this way, Mandala Drama School will continue to cultivate theatre as a shared language for peace and human connection.
In the coming years, we will:
- Build international partnerships for applied theatre training and research.
- Develop a resource hub on Nepali folk and applied theatre traditions.
- Expand documentation of our journey through performances, publications, and films, including an upcoming documentary on the second batch’s experience.
We see the future of Mandala Drama School not only as a place of training, but as a growing movement—bridging academia and community, tradition and innovation, local stories and global conversations.
Watch documentary of Mandala Drama School 1st Batch
