In its milestone second collaborative edition, the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, will present four award-winning plays that have stood out at the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META), one of India's most celebrated drama awards. This four-day theatre showcase will be held from 12th - 15th November at the NCPA Experimental Theatre in Mumbai. Staging critically acclaimed plays in a range of Indian languages and a non-verbal genre, this unique theatrical experience is an ode to India's diverse repertoire of stagecraft in its classic, contemporary and most compelling forms.

The festival is committed to creating national platforms to benchmark excellence, while encouraging emerging talent. In addition to the performances, META at NCPA will feature workshops and discussions designed to engage audiences and foster a deeper understanding of the theatrical arts.

The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, is India’s premier cultural institution, committed to preserving and promoting India’s vibrant artistic heritage in the fields of music, dance, theatre, film, literature and photography, as well as presenting new and innovative work by Indian and international artistes. Inaugurated in 1969, it was the first multi-venue and multi-genre cultural centre in South Asia. Today, the NCPA hosts more than 500 events each year, making it one of India’s largest and most holistic performing arts centres. Facing the Arabian Sea, the sprawling campus houses five theatres, libraries, open spaces, an art gallery and restaurants.

The NCPA was the brainchild of JRD Tata and Dr. Jamshed Bhabha, two visionaries who recognised India’s need for an all-encompassing performing arts centre. Its present Chairman, Khushroo N. Suntook, has taken the NCPA to new heights.

Luminaries from various fields have contributed towards lending the NCPA the iconic status it enjoys, including Satyajit Ray, Yehudi Menuhin as its earliest mentors and Zakir Hussain, who is associated with the NCPA not only as an illustrious performer but also a member of its council.

As India’s role on the international stage expands, the NCPA has been investing in the country’s cultural future. In 2006, it established the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI), the country’s first and only professional orchestra. With its great emphasis on education, the NCPA has developed a reputation as a major centre for training and learning, building on an already well-established programme of workshops, seminars and special events.