1. “Connections allowed me to be a different person on stage, to live another life. For me, rehearsals were the most exciting part of the journey. Be it the games we played to break the ice and get in character or the hours of practice. We all worked as a team to bring meaning to the play. There were no adults and children or one superior to another. Everyone learnt from each other.” - Rutuja Nandgaonkar (Akanksha Foundation)

2. “One of the biggest things I learnt that goes hand in hand with acting is empathy. Playing a character I did not understand at first made it difficult to express myself with conviction. However, putting myself in her shoes reminded me of the importance of empathy, not only for an actor but also for us as human beings. Not to mention cooperation and collaboration within a group.

As I return to the festival for its second year, I remember clearly: standing on the stage as the lights came on, claps echoing and smiles all around as we took our bows. I knew then that I wanted to do it again.” - Sanaa Dharamshi (Aditya Birla World Academy)

3. “It was so special learning from our director, Rasika Agashe. I learnt how difficult it is to put on a play from scratch. It was all very exciting.” -Gokul Jha (Kherwadi Mumbai Public School, Aseema)

4. “Our play, The Changing Room, is like an insight into the mind of a teenager, as though all our thoughts and feelings have been put into words. Each section of the play represents a different stage of dealing with these new emotions and finally owning them. This is quite different from a school play because the emotions portrayed come from instances I can relate to. It’s like I’m telling the story of my life.

It is my second year of participation and this time, I learnt more about singing and being more confident and social. During rehearsals, we shared stories from our own lives and got to know each other better. It helped us grow closer as a group, which also helped with our dynamic onstage.” - Skye Shenoy (Institute of Classical and Modern Dance)

5. “It has been an exhilarating journey putting the entire act together, right from the warm up and the games we played before rehearsals to the very last scene. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience being onstage at the NCPA last year and I look forward to performing again. We usually perform for our classmates and teachers at school, so we cannot wait to take the stage in front of a larger audience.” - Anjali Jaiswal (Angel Xpress)

6. “I came back to Connections this year because not only did I get to be part of a performance on a larger scale and platform but also got the opportunity to connect with people I normally would not interact much with. I built lasting friendships.

I recall missing the school assembly to eat cake after our final rehearsal. These are moments we will never forget. The most exciting part of the process, though, was the f inal day. Everyone was in their costumes, the hall had been done up for the show, music was playing in the background, and we were waiting in nervous excitement for the audience to trickle in. It was exhilarating to see the result of months of work.” - Shiraz Aga (Bombay International School)

7. “The play we are performing is called Tuesday and it taught me things I did not know about. I have performed in school plays, but Connections allowed me to do things I had never tried. Picking team members for backstage work like lighting, making props and designing costumes was also very interesting. It was cool to see everyone’s different talents and make decisions together. My favourite part, though, would be the breaks. The word break was the most satisfying thing to hear.” - Chaitanya Dangeti (Shree Geeta Vidyalaya School, Teach for India)

1. “Our play, Mobile Phone Show, is simply out of the ordinary. It gives you immense liberty with the haikus, the characters, the choreography…. All of our characters have different quirks, making them truly individual. I find it quite enthralling. Apart from having the opportunity to let my acting flourish, I realised the importance of deadlines, commitment and teamwork.” - Costanza Marri Gasque (DSB International School/ Deutsche Schule Bombay)