Hello!
We are the stG youth ensemble
The dynamic youth-wing of Stages Theatre Group composed of artists aged 16 to 24 committed to learning and inspiring through theatre.
L Board Artists
-
![]()
Samuel
Samuel Sundaralingam is a writer, actor and the leader of the youth ensemble. He was a lead writer and actor in ‘PING!’.
He also works in sales and marketing at his day job; traversing both the corporate and artistic worlds on a daily basis.
-
![]()
Akmal
Akmal Hamid is an actor and has acclaimed a diploma in both "performing arts" and "speech and drama". He is currently an intern for Stages Theatre Group.
-
![]()
Murthaaz
Murthaaz Barry is an actor with a unique role of employment: that of a writer. His journey in the world of theatre spans nine years with its inception during his education at Wesley College, Colombo. With a burning ambition to showcase Sri Lanka's cultural richness on a global platform, he aims to achieve this through both cinema and theatrical performances.
-
![]()
Kithmi
Kithmi Ranatunga is a 17 year old student from Methodist College, Colombo. She is a Company Artist in the Stages Theatre Group’s Youth Ensemble. She made her debut performance in ‘PING!’ to which she was also a supporting writer.
-
![Banuja]()
Banuja
Banuja Dehigaspage is a writer currently pursuing a diploma at UCL in the field of IT. He was a lead writer in the play ‘PING!’.
-
![Sasi]()
Sasindu
Sasindu Randeniya is an actor, director, writer and stage manager who has harbored a passion for theatre since his school days. He has taken part in various plays and has won a string of awards for acting, directing, and writing.
-
![Nethra]()
Nethra
Nethra Peiris is an actor, journalist and company artist of the Stages Youth Ensemble. She has acted in multiple theatre productions since 2022.
-
![Vishwa]()
Vishwa
Vishwa Wijesooriya is a model and an actor hailing from Kandy. ‘PING!’ was his debut stage performance and he has since continued to pursue his passion for acting relentlessly.
WHAT WE’VE DONE
-
PING!
PING! is an original play by the Youth Ensemble of Stages Theatre Group, drawing from the real-life experiences of its teenage cast. The production addresses modern youth issues like digital dependence, mental health struggles, changing family dynamics, and the generation gap. This marks the Youth Ensemble's first production.
-
Double Sadness MILKSHAKE
This play stemmed from a writing exercise assigned by Ruwanthie to the youth ensemble for the purpose of creating a play. The exercise entailed the writing of a monologue, with each member being given the opening line " sadness is like...".
-
#WATSS Phase I
An ongoing social media-based campaign initiated in April 2023 that introspectively explores how the current challenges facing young people – economic and political instability, fragmentation of community and societal structures, existential anxiety, dependence on social-media and technology – all combine to erode a young person’s capacity to interact meaningfully with real-life relationships and situations. The campaign was researched, conceptualized and led by the youth ensemble.
WHAT WE HAVE IN STORE
-
![]()
The Asian youth theatre festival
The 'Asian Theatre Youth Festival 2023' in Iloilo, Philippines, scheduled for November 23rd to 26th, is a significant platform in the Asian theatre scene, featuring youth artists and organizations from over 15 countries. We've received an exclusive invitation as the first theatre group from Sri Lanka to participate. This festival involves performances, dialogues, and workshops showcasing cultural and artistic practices. We see it as an ideal stage for promoting the #WATSS campaign globally, given its extensive reach.
-
![]()
'THESPO' YOUTH THEATRE FESTIVAL
The 'Thespo' youth theatre festival, boasting a 25-year legacy, is happening in Mumbai, India, from December 4th to 10th. This event brings together youth theatre groups from various parts of India, showcasing a variety of performances. 'Stages Theatre Group' has a strong history with the festival and has received an invitation to participate which the Stages Youth Ensemble RSVPed positively.
-
![]()
AT THE WRITER'S DISCRETION (ATWD)
Early January 2024 is set to mark the debut of a new original play written, directed and performed by the ‘L Board Artists’. The play follows an eccentric writer and his work of a gritty crime fiction which is at a narrative deadlock as he struggles to comprehend the crux of his central character's arc. Blurring the line between fiction and reality, 'ATWD' essays to explore the art of fiction writing at its most obsessive and outlandish.
-
![]()
New Ensemble play "crash"
Guess what! We are devising a new play during our weekly workshops titled ‘CRASH’ for an upcoming regional theatre festival. The play aims to creatively explore different interpretations of its titular word through performance. It is directed by Akalanka Prabashwara.
ACTIVE AGENDAS
-
![]()
WEEKLY WORKSHOPS
Every Tuesday from 4.30pm to 8.30pm, we hold workshops where we practice, learn, and commit to unleashing our full potential as artists.
-
![]()
WRITERS' MEETINGS
Young artists eager to channel their creativity onto paper are invited to join our separate writers group. They convene bi-weekly, providing a space to refine both theatrical and general writing skills.
-
![]()
#WATSS PHASE II
As the #WATSS campaign quietly gains momentum, it calls upon individuals, families, student communities and organisations to join the conversation, ask the question, demand an answer, and inspire solutions on behalf of today's and tomorrow's teenagers.
-
![]()
THE SHUTDOWN CAMPAIGN
Encouraging families to engage in a collective digital discipline in their homes with a "shut down by 10 pm" policy.
-
![]()
MOVIE NIGHT
Every month we meet-up for Movie Night, where we watch and discuss seminal films.
(Nov - Black Mirror - White Christmas)
