สมาชิกเครือข่ายละครกรุงเทพ : Member of Bangkok Theatre Network

เครือข่ายละครกรุงเทพ คืออะไร : What's BTN?  

What's Bangkok Theatre Network?

Bangkok Theatre Network is an incorporation of theatre companies, dramatists, university drama professors, and art coordinators. We have developed our network to empower the theatre artist community, and to create wider audience, for the sustainable of contemporary theatre art in Thai society.

We believe that Arts, especially theatre is created by the cooperation of people and community in making productions, surviving, transferring from generation to generation, and functioning in the society. Thus the theatre artists cannot work alone but need and cooperate with other artists and audiences.

At present, with its own simple and flexible structure, the Bangkok Theatre Network has over 50 members which are non-profit professional theatre companies, novice theatre groups, drama clubs and department of drama in the universities, and independent dramatists.

History

Around 1992, there was the first attempt to establish the cooperation among Thai theatre artists on the grounds that Thai theatre was so weak. In the past, the early generation of contemporary theatre artists who were rich of skills and artistic abilities had produced lots of effective theatre works but lacked of cooperation and support from one another which leaded to the weakness of Thai contemporary theatre in a long term. “Not only Thai theatre itself has developed so slowly but also it has been isolated. Therefore, there was no strength and incouragement” (Pradit Prasartthong: 2003)

Being a network will create a friendship atmosphere, support, skills sharing and power which will faster a strong drive for Thai theatre. This basic agreement leaded to an Official Network Organization which was fail because of the lack of experience and other limitations.

In 1997, Kamron Kunadilok and Pattravadee Meechuton the leading senior artists set up a theatre network meeting once again with the expectation of being a “Thai Theatre Artists Union”. However, the Union ended up without any success, yet sparked a strong inspiration for other young artists.

In the year 2002, the idea of setting up theatre network was raised up once again. Learning from the previous experiences, the core members created the basic aims and simple structure corresponding to the nature and culture of the network members which are different in experience, maturity, management skills, opinion, attitude, knowledge and concern about the long-term situation. These wide gaps do not support the official network organization with the complicated structure which needs strong commitment, responsibilities, values and maturity. The over distance aim, the official structure and the rapid movement would leave some members be hiden, then caused imbalance and less power.

“In stead of overestimated aims, why don't we start from a very little point such as looking at other's productions, taking care of each other, lending actors or equipments among members, planning and having commitment to spread out this culture” (Pradit Prasartthong: 2003)

Starting from this idea, an informal meeting of young drama professors was hold at Makhampom Theatre House in May 2002 in the friendship atmosphere which leaded to the tentative agreement of a network at the first step.

In June of the same year, the ten core theatre groups met and agreed to set up the network with a tentative structure. Then, the relationship, understanding and concern among members have been developed. The network will be set up as an official organization.

Our mission is to bring for the concerns in support, network, production and development of the theatre art in the long run to the young artists and our members. Only talking or explanation are not enough but they also need some other exercises such as socialization, workshops and seminars, sharing ideas among senior and young artists, visit, observation, and so forth. However, the most interesting exercise for the members was a “theatre festival” which organized annually.

The first festival “Bangkok Theatre Season 2002” was organized by the enthusiastic and energetic members without any supports. When organizing the festival there were a lot of difficulties but strong commitment. The way of communication between theatre artist community and society was opened. “Today, we are together not just for fun, but to let the society see our abilities and identities”. (Surapon Virunrak, spoke in the Festival opening: 2002) This little theatre festival became effective and leaded to “Bangkok Theatre Festival” in Novembers which brings together more and more theatre companies, dramatists, senior artists, drama professors, theatre critics and audiences.