KARACHI: The National Academy of Performing Arts will stage the Urdu adaptation of Nobel laureate Luigi Pirandello’s famous play ‘Chhe kirdar aik musannif ki talash mein’ (Six characters in search of an author) from Jan 23.

This was announced at a press conference on Friday evening.

Speaking on the occasion, actor Rahat Kazmi, who is playing one of the leading characters in the drama, said Pirandello wrote ‘Six Characters’ in 1922 and went on to earn a Nobel prize. Referring to actress Mehr Jafri, who was in the group that addressed the media, he said he had seen her work and thought that she would be the right person to play a pivotal role in the play. Calling himself an old man, he said it was wise someone younger directed the project that was the reason one of his students, Fawad Khan, was directing it.

Mr Khan said it was an honour for him to work with Mr Kazmi who had taught him how to stand on stage. He wished that people came to see the play.

Actress Jafri echoed his sentiment saying that she, too, felt honoured to be working alongside Mr Kazmi. She appreciated the senior actor’s open-mindedness when it came to working with the younger lot.

Napa’s Arshad Mahmood informed the media on the different activities that the academy was to undertake. In March, he said, there would be an international festival in which theatre groups from Nepal, Germany, England and India would participate. Two groups from India (one from Delhi and one from Mumbai) had given their consent, one of which comprised the iconic actor Naseeruddin Shah.

The media night for ‘Chhe kirdar’ will be on Jan 22.

Earlier, Napa’s Arshad Mahmood held a press conference with Kimberly Strollo, US consulate’s cultural affairs officer. He said Napa had entered into a three-year partnership with the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas, Austin. As part of the partnership programme, four Napa students would go to the Butler School to learn the ‘art of music’. This year the four selected youngsters are Arsalan, Nigel, Haafi and Ahsan. He termed it significant for the academy, as it would broaden its capacity and prove beneficial for the youth of Karachi.

Ms Strollo said the consulate was pleased about the partnership because it would give the young musicians an opportunity to share with Pakistan what they’d learn in the US.

Mr Mahmood said the three-year tie would end in a finale in the form of a gig involving faculty and students of Napa and faculty and students of the University of Texas. He said one of the persons who would be teaching the Pakistani students in the US was a famous ethnomusicologist who’s the student of Pandit Ravi Shankar.