Transforming Sri Lankan Theatre:Stages Theatre Group Marks 25 Years

 Scenes from Stages productions

Stages Theatre Group marks its 25th anniversary this year, celebrating a quarter-century of creating original, socially engaged, cutting-edge productions that have shaped Sri Lankan theatre for a generation.

Founded in 2000 by acclaimed Sri Lankan playwright and director Ruwanthie De Chickera, Stages has become one of Sri Lanka’s leading independent theatre companies and the most widely toured theatre company in the country. Its performances have been featured at festivals in India, Pakistan, Rwanda, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, the UK, the UAE and beyond, earning recognition for their artistry and social resonance. 

Over the years, Stages has produced more than 50 original plays addressing topics such as post-colonialism, ethnicity, statelessness, education, women’s rights and the experiences of youth and children. From early works like ‘Last Bus Eke Kathawa’ to devised pieces such as ‘Kalumaali’, large-scale productions like ‘DCS 7 Decades of Sri Lanka’, youth ensemble shows like ‘PING!,’ and activist plays such as ‘Patterns of Our Genocides’, each production reflects the company’s commitment to storytelling that is both meaningful and thought-provoking.

Beyond the stage, Stages continues to play a vital role in theatre education and community development. Over the past several years, the company has quietly transformed communities and the artistic landscape of Sri Lanka through its Change Culture project, which continues to make an enormous impact, even if it’s less visible. The initiative has created 14 youth and children’s ensembles across the island, from Colombo to Jaffna, Bogawanthalawa, and Galle. Through weekly, child-led theatre workshops, Stages has produced over 30 original short children’s plays, supports 25 community artists, and directly engages more than 350 children and youth, giving them a platform to explore their creativity and tell their own stories.

In addition to this, Stages also hosts the annual 3rdBell Children and Youth Theatre Festival which brings together participants from its ensembles across Sri Lanka for performances and exchange, fostering collaboration and artistic growth across generations.

To mark this milestone, Stages will host 25 | Stages, a special anniversary event on October 25 and 26 at the Kamatha New Theatre, BMICH, from evening onwards. The free event will feature excerpts, monologues, and standalone pieces from some of Stages’ most celebrated productions over the years, revisiting moments that have defined its artistic journey. As an intergenerational theatre company, 25 | Stages will also bring together artists from across eras of the company’s history who have shaped its legacy, alongside the next generation of emerging theatre-makers.

As it turns 25, Stages remains committed to the spirit that has sustained it: collaboration, curiosity, and care.

(Official flyer for the event on the 25th and 26thOctober)

(Scan the QR to register. It’s free!)

Or RSVP: 077 62 77 648