“The stage is not merely the meeting place of all the arts, but is also the return of art to life.” – Oscar Wilde
Delhi Public School R.K. Puram’s Expressions Theatre Club hosted its Annual Theatre Festival- Theatron- Thirst for Theatre on 23 August 2025. A true celebration of creativity and performance, the festival brought together 50 schools from Delhi NCR and across India.
There were 12 distinctive events judged by eminent jury members, which allowed participants the opportunity to showcase their artistic brilliance in the fields of acting, script writing, music, dance, direction and stagecraft.
The humongous footfall of 1,500 theatre enthusiasts included jury members, participants from schools across India, and members of the Expressions Theatre Club. They witnessed passionate, innovative student performances filled with emotion. The students did everything from monologues to ensemble plays, and in the process left the audience completely spellbound.
The various competitions included in the event were:
NUKKAD KI GOONJ (Street Play)
Nukkad Natak or Street Play gave the participants an opportunity to highlight relevant social issues while engaging the audience with their compelling presentations. The groups were assessed on criteria including content, creativity, topic interpretation, jingles, dialogue delivery, and expressions by Mr. Vipul Kalra and Ms. Palak Bhutani.
STAGE-A-THON (Stage Play)
Stage plays blended the simple appeal of stagecraft with the engaging atmosphere of drama. Each participating team of 4–5 performers was tasked with preparing an original 5-minute stage play based on themes provided. The event was judged by Mr. Sanjeev Johri and Mr. Shukhangshu Chatterjee.
ADS ACT (Advertisement Enactment)
The Ads Act event brought the art of dramatised advertising to life. Participants created amusing and innovative advertisements for quirky topics such as a teleport telephone or a reminder remote. Their creativity and presentation were assessed by Mr. Tarun Kohli and Mr. Varun Sud.
THESPIAN COLISEUM (Shakespearean Monologue/Soliloquy)
Paying tribute to the Bard of Avon, this event celebrated Shakespeare’s lasting legacy. Participants prepared 2 to 3-minute monologues or soliloquies from chosen works, stepping into the roles of iconic characters. Ms. Lakshmi Subramanian and Ms. Dolly Kapoor judged the delivery, diction, costumes, and overall performance.
Play-o-Poem
Blending verse with performance, participants brought poems to life, choosing any one of the virtues or vices as their theme, like pride, envy, sloth, humility, diligence and charity. Their acts highlighted both emotion and creativity. The event was judged by Ms. Niti Phool and Ms. Nayna Sagar.
Lights, Camera, Action!
This online short-film contest gave teams of 4–5 a chance to try their hand at real cinematography. Each entry was based on idioms/themes such as “A wolf in sheep’s clothing” or “Echoes don’t build walls, voices do”, and was judged by Ms.Bidisha Roy Das and Mr. Ujjawal Bhardwaj.
Mime Act
With painted faces, expressive gestures, and dramatic silence, participants conveyed their feelings through topics like” The Burden of Expectations” or “Mind versus Heart”. The participants, using their acting skills, costumes and body language, portrayed the genres of tragedy, horror, action thriller, comedy and mystery. The panel included Ms. Shikha Arya and Mr. Ujjawal Bhardwaj.
Stand-Up Comedy
A three-minute event, this act was truly an enriching experience that brought a breath of fresh air to the festival. It reached out to the audience, with relatability being the essence of its success, complemented by humour. Participants credibly showcased their wit and ability to find the funny side of otherwise dire situations. Humour met meaning as contestants delivered witty, bilingual takes on everyday topics. Their timing and creativity were evaluated by Ms. Bidisha Roy Das and Mr. Kuldeep Khanna.
Dance Drama
This was a spellbinding combination of dance and drama, and one that marked the loveliness of storytelling with rhythm and movement. Contestants used the stage as a canvas of feeling, dancing to themes such as Silent Voices and Mirrored Memories. Coordination, creativity, and artistry of the performers were considered while judging them. The judges were Ms. Soumya Sud and Ms. Annu Rawal.
Res Ipsa Loquitur (Courtroom Drama)
In this courtroom drama event, participants had to bring the courtroom to life in an English, Hindi, or bilingual performance lasting 6–7 minutes. Their intensity, dialogue delivery, and character portrayal were the judging criteria. It was judged by Mr. Rahul Beruar and Ms. Jyotika Singhal.
Bolt from the Blue
A surprise act, Bolt from the Blue was a 2-minute rush of creativity and spontaneity. Participants had to think on their feet and deliver an impactful performance. The panel for this event included Mr. Himanshu Mam and Ms. Preet Kaur.
Mimicry
Participants showcased their talent for imitation in a fun-filled 2–3 minute act, taking on famous personalities or public figures with flair and humour. Their expressions, timing, and creativity were the judging factors for this event. It was judged by Ms. Akriti Sethi and Mr. Hardik Mudgal
The Valedictory ceremony commenced with a mesmerising Ganesh Vandana, followed by a cultural performance and a band performance.
The Principal addressed the audience by saying, “With such power-packed performance on-stage and in the competition, it makes me believe that the show must go on. The best form of expression is theatre, as it is live. What you perform is a celebration of knowledge, skill, and teamwork. Winning is secondary, but participation is a very beautiful and important part.”
The Chief Guest, Mr. Gurpal Singh, addressed the students, stating, “Every generation is smarter than the older one. ”He said that emphasis on extracurricular activities goes a long way. We should learn to be independent, learn from nature and make an active effort to know our native languages. The Guest of Honour was Mr. Rahul Mittra, who encouraged the students to live in the moment and allow their futures to be shaped by their passions.
The prizes were presented by the Principal, Mr. Anil Kumar, along with the esteemed Chief Guest, Mr. Gurpal Singh, the Guest of Honour, Mr. Rahul Mittra and the Vice Principals, Mr. Anil Kumar and Mr. Mukesh Kumar. The Teacher-in-Charge, Ms. Sanya Taneja, proposed the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to the head of the institution, jury members, members of Expressions Theatre Club and all the participating schools for their enthusiastic involvement and contribution to the success of the event. The ceremony concluded on a patriotic note with the rendition of the National Anthem.
The results are as follows:
| Overall Winner | DPS NOIDA & DPS R.K.PURAM |
| Overall Runner Up | DPS GREATER NOIDA |
| Overall 2nd Runner Up | DPS FARIDABAD |
| NUKKAD KI GOONJ (Street Play) | |
| First Position | DPS INDIRAPURAM |
| Second Position | APEEJAY SCHOOL, PITAMPURA |
| Third Position | DPS R.K.PURAM & CARMEL CONVENT SCHOOL |
| STAGE-A-THON (Stage Play) | |
| First Position | DPS MATHURA ROAD |
| Second Position | DPS FARIDABAD |
| Third Position | DPS SUSHANT LOK GURUGRAM |
| ADS ACT(Advertisement Enactment) | |
| First Position | DPS NOIDA |
| Second Position | DPS R.K.PURAM & CARMEL CONVENT SCHOOL |
| Third Position | DPS INDIRAPURAM |
| THESPIAN COLISEUM (Shakespearean monologue/soliloquy) | |
| First Position | VASANT VALLEY SCHOOL |
| Second Position | LOTUS VALLEY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL NOIDA |
| Third Position | DPS PATNA |
| PLAY-O-POEM (Poetry Enactment) | |
| First Position | DPS NOIDA |
| Second Position | DPS GREATER NOIDA |
| Third Position | DPS INDIRAPURAM |
| LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! | |
| First Position | DPS DWARKA |
| Second Position | VASANT VALLEY SCHOOL |
| Third Position | CARMEL CONVENT SCHOOL |
| मूकाभिनय/ MIME ACT | |
| First Position | DPS FARIDABAD |
| Second Position | DPS PATNA |
| Third Position | DPS INDIRAPURAM |
| STAND UP COMEDY | |
| First Position | VASANT VALLEY SCHOOL |
| Second Position | TAGORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, EAST OF KAILASH |
| Third Position | MAYOOR SCHOOL, NOIDA |
| DANCE DRAMA | |
| First Position | DPS FARIDABAD |
| Second Position | DPS INTERNATIONAL GURUGRAM |
| Third Position | DPS BULANDSHAHR & DPS R.K.PURAM |
| RES IPSA LOQUITUR (Courtroom Drama) | |
| First Position | DPS NOIDA |
| Second Position | DPS R.K.PURAM & DPS INDIRAPURAM |
| Third Position | DPS FARIDABAD |
| BOLT FROM THE BLUE (Surprise Event) | |
| First Position | MOUNT ABU PUBLIC SCHOOL |
| Second Position | DPS INDIRAPURAM |
| Third Position | DPS SUSHANT LOK GURUGRAM |
| MIMICRY | |
| First Position | MOUNT CARMEL SCHOOL DWARKA |
| Second Position | BAL BHARTI PUBLIC SCHOOL GRH MARG & D.P.S. R.K. PURAM |
| Third Position | DPS FARIDABAD |