Faisal Malik and Nouman Mehmood, Thespianz Theatre (PK)

Faisal Malik and Nouman Mehmood

Thespianz Theatre

Faisal Malik is an artistic director of Thespianz Theater whereas Nouman Mehmood is an associate director. They both are spine of Thespianz Theater and always depicted as strength in unity while Faisal initiates artistic projects and Nouman execute them towards accomplishment.

Short biography of Faisal Malik:
He is a graduate of National academy of Performing Arts NAPA in Karachi Pakistan after that he got chosen for International fellowship mentoring Program from John. F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Washington DC, and afterwards from Germany, India and European countries. He worked with numerous American and European Performing Arts Organizations. He gave directions of 156 Social and entertainment based Theater Productions, 134 Dance Performances in many cities of Pakistan and abroad as well as He established 107 Motivational workshops for youth in different government and private sectors.
He is a man of strong confidence and self thinker and a self starter, he has multiple proportions in his life, He is relatively confident when executing projects for Thespianz Theater. He is an Arts Graduate and Worked with different teams at different times in Thespianz Theater and enjoyed working with each one of them. He initiated and harnessed the first Performing Arts Festival for underprivileged youth in one of “No Go Area” in Karachi – Pakistan last year. He was the key person for inviting German and US Playwright and Theater Directors to Pakistan for collaborative performing arts projects for youth since 2012. He visited Europe in 2013 for attending a Theater Festival “Theatertreffen” in Germany, after that, He has been Poland and met Pakistani ambassador in Warsaw – Poland as well as in Berlin.

Why Faisal Malik and Nouman Mehmood are appropriate to be the recipient of the Ellen Stewart Award?
Thespianz Theater is firmly committed to the Street Theatres for social change with and for the Youth in the country. As the founding Artistic Director of Thespianz Theater since 2005, Faisal Malik and Associate Director since last six years Nouman Mehmood directed and produced 56 plays for Street Theatres. Thespianz have also initiated and continue to run Theater Arts societies in different leading Schools, Colleges and Universities in the country where Mr. Malik‟s three years certification at National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA)
Karachi, helped us to prepare our self for the upcoming challenges. However as we developed theatrical work in both English and Urdu over the last few years. An effort which leads to our partnership as co-director with American Cultural Envoy Dr. Kanta Kochhar – Lindgren, on a play about water issues. Thespianz has developed two very attractive and innovative projects for the people of Pakistan, The Flying Theater: It is a mobile theater on a truck and staging theatre performances in the urban and rural areas of the country on social issues. The Flying Classroom: A Mobile School for children to give free education via arts in Pakistan. Mr. Malikis the fellow of Arthink South Asia, which are the initiatives of the Network of Goethe Institutes in South Asia, in which Mr. Malik and Mr. Nouman Mehmood visited India and European countries such as Germany, Italy, Sweden, Poland and exchange our views and networking with theatres and musical companies. What Mr. Malik had learned in Previous International Fellowship Mentoring Program in 2010 in J.F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, he utilizing the skills in Pakistan through Thespianz Theater. They are called experts of Street Theatres in Pakistan. Thespianz also feel that staying with culturally oriented individuals will help to learn indirectly as well about many things in Residency at La Ma Ma Umbria International in June, 2016. Thespianz Theater restored old kicking the bucket specialty of string puppetry in Pakistan and these days we are chipping away at youth with this extraordinary device of craftsmanship.

Key accomplishments and impact of the work
Faisal Malik and Nouman Mehmood‟s key accomplishments:

a) Accomplished a Cultural festival in Karachi – Pakistan to celebrate the diversity of “Sultanabad and Hijrat Colony” (a conservative and isolated area of Karachi where most of IDP‟s lives) and promoted social cohesiveness among the 3000 youth in 2015.
b) Consummated “Adaptation of Cats Musical” to raise awareness of education, health and anti drugs among the Pakistani youth in 10 days theater festival “Uth Oye” (wakeup) and blessed 10000 youth in 2014.
c) Gave 3 days theater and performing arts training to 60 youngsters from a “NO GO AREA” of Karachi Pakistan (Sultanabad and Hijrat Colony) 2014.
d) Gave three days vital performing arts workshop to 500 Govt. School girls at Citizen Archive of Pakistan – CAP Summer camp 2014.
e) Executed an international theater play in Pakistan with Mr. Robert Neumann (German theater director) in 2014.
f) Initiated and completed first Pakistani Arts Management Residency Program with Goethe-Institut (German culture center) in 2014.
g) Managing all Pak-U.S. Alumni Network PUAN‟s event (Faisal Malik is a country president of this organization).
h) Attended “Theatertreffen” (theater festival) in Berlin – Germany, as a visiting arts manager in 2013.
i) Made “The Flying Theater” Theater on a truck with complete theatre ambience for Social awareness in the Rural Parts of Pakistan and “The Flying Classroom” a free mobile classroom for less-privileged community2012 till now.
j) Invited and Worked with German Playwright and Theater Director Kristo Sagor for creating a peace based performance for youth in Sept 2012.

Press Quotes
Pakistan’s famous newspaper “Dawn”
Keeping its campaign for the revival of cultural heritage, social programs and traditional folk art fully alive and affective.

Street Theater coverage in International Express Tribune
Street theatre delivers a „smoky‟ performance at Sea View

Faisal Malik’s Chicago visit highlights in “The News magazine”
(Foreigners) feel that we can only hold guns, not the pen or paint brush.

A theater coverage in Voice Of America’s website
Theater is not just an entertainment but it is a source of community awareness.

Youth Dance Flash Mob Coverage in International Express Tribune
Grave and groovy: Flash mobs dance to send anti-piracy message.

HIV Aids Awareness play coverage in Express Tribune
Theatre on wheels: Silent young actors fall back on music and gestures to convey tough messages.

Video
Thespianz Theater Show reel