Nissar Allana

Present Position :
Director: The Dramatic Art & Design Academy (DADA). A Training institute in Acting & Design.
Director: Theatre & Television Associates - a production company.
Scenographer /Art Director / Lighting Designer for theatre & television.
Theatre consultant.
1978 Appointed Fellow of Department of Indian Theatre, Chandigarh. – 1 year.

Theatre Training :
1974: At the Schaubuhne Am Halleschen Ufer, Berlin, worked with Karl-Ernst Hermann, Set Designer to Peter Stein.
1971-2007: Theatre/Television Experience

Plays Designed for the Stage :
Designed over 65 theatre productions, including Mahabhoj, Cherry Ka Bagicha, Begum Barve, Nagamandala, Sonata, The Mahabharata Project, Erendira & Nati Binodini for a number of directors including Amal Allana, Richard Schechner, Egil Kipste, Rolf Stahl, MuzaffarAli, Tajeshwar Singh, Zuleikha Chaudhari etc.

Plays Produced and Designed for TV :
1976: “Aadhe Adhure”- Doordarshan (Designed)
1982: “Wapsi” – Doordarshan (Designed)
1990-97: "The Three-penny Opera"," Begum Barve", "Nagamandala", "Char Choughi", "Devyani Ka Kahna Hai" and "Lights Out", "The Three Penny Opera". (Produced and Designed)

Teaching Experience :
1977 - 1978: Fellow of Department of Indian Theatre, Punjab University, Chandigarh.
Guest faculty in Stage Design at the National School of Drama, Kala Academy, Goa;
Dept. of Indian Theatre, Chandigarh;
Bharatendu Natya Academy, Lucknow.
Guest Lectures on “Space in Design” & Tanjore painting at U.C. Berkley, California.
2000-007 Head of Scenography Department- The Dramatic Art & Design Academy (DADA).

Exhibitions Designed :
1975-78: "The Designer in the Theatre", in Bombay, Delhi, and Chandigarh
1977: "The Sanskrit Theatre", at the National School of Drama, New Delhi
1985: "The Folk Theatre of India". Lincoln Centre, New York
1987: “Pratibimba” (Reflections) an exhibition on Indian Photography at the
Pushkin Museum, Moscow, at Leningrad & Vilnius
1989: “A Tribute to Shakespeare” based on Shakespeare productions, internationally.
1990: "Tanjore Painting" at the Olive Hyde gallery, California.
2002-2007: Exhibition on Theatre & television Associates

Set Decorator :
1981: “Gandhi”, directed by Richard Attenborough.
Seminar Papers/Articles:
“The Designers Art”. Intercultural Evolution of Stage Design in India.
“The Designer in the Theatre”: National Centre for the Performing Arts Journal.
“When Stage Design is an Actor”, based on the design for Pina Bausch’s ‘Carnations’-The Economic Times.
“The Bridge Between Stages” On the Stage Design for Brecht's ‘Mother Courage’
Article on Stage Design in India for the Oxford University Press, Encyclopedia on Theatre.
“Role of Traditional Education in the Performing and Visual Arts”, for Norad, New Delhi.
“Environmental Scenography” for The Drama Review, NYU.
“Heiner Mueller – From Narrative to Ritual” and the Editorial for the catalogue, ‘ A Tribute to Brecht’

International & National Events :
Produced Inaugural Show & Closing Ceremony for Asian Track & Field Meet.
Coordinator, Inauguration & Performing Arts Festival; Festival of India in the USA.
Designer of Exhibition on Photography at the Pushkin Museum, Moscow – Festival of India.
Designed 2 French Operas
Theatre Consultant for Theatre at Pragati Maidan
Theatre Consultant: Shimla Sports Academy

Art Director/Producer, TV Serials :
1986: “Raj Se Swaraj” – 13 part series of Court Trials from the Independence Movement.
1991: “Mullah Nasruddin” – 13 part series on the legendary sufi philosopher.

Other TV Work :
Producer/Art Director for “Indian Art & Modernism”, a 6 part series for Television,
Producer and Director -Legal Ethics – A corporate film;
Producer and Director – A film on The Art of India for Doordarshan – 1 hour
'Hum Log'. Directed by P. Kumar Vasudev,
Designed sets for TV programme on New Years' Eve.
Produced and Directed Public service films on Aids Awareness, including award winning film with Shabana Azmi.
Produced and Directed A Corporate film for India Convention Promotion Bureau

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