by Ujjwala Siddapur for BIS Mumbai

Don Bosco School, Lonavla, turned its spotlight on the stage on Friday, Septmeber 19, as students brought virtue to life through theatre in the annual Inter-House Dramatics Competition.

Centred on the theme of moral values, the contest featured four houses, each interpreting a specific virtue. The Red House examined friendship, while the Blue House tackled honesty. The Green House explored love and care, and the Yellow House addressed forgiveness and mercy. A backdrop quoting Shakespeare — “Brevity is the soul of wit” — set the tone for the evening, emphasizing the balance of performance and meaning.

The judging panel consisted of Sheila Masih, a respected trainer and teacher; Vijaya Kalyan, a practising artist; and Sneha Shinde, an accomplished alumna of the school. The panel praised the students for their dedication and discipline, noting the effort evident in the characterisation and delivery. Each play, they observed, reflected a clear understanding of the assigned virtue and demonstrated the students’ ability to translate moral ideas into compelling drama.

In a closely contested competition, the Green House emerged as the winner, scoring the highest points. Individual recognition went to Enoch Fereira, awarded Best Actor for his performance under the Green House banner, and Bhakti Taware, named Best Actress for her strong portrayal in the same group.

The event was coordinated by teachers Aruna Chatterjee and Bindu George, with Fr Avil Correa playing a key role in supporting and monitoring preparations. Principal Fr Kiran Salve provided overall guidance, ensuring the competition ran smoothly and reflected the school’s commitment to integrating values into education.

For many in attendance, the evening underscored the value of theatre as more than entertainment. It offered a platform for students to test their creative abilities while engaging with ideas central to personal and social development. The competition also reinforced the role of co-curricular activities in broadening the educational experience, placing character formation alongside academic achievement.

At Don Bosco, the dramatics competition has long been a tradition, encouraging students to combine performance with reflection. This year’s edition continued that pattern, reminding the audience that virtues, when staged with conviction, can speak as strongly as words from a school textbook.