PING!

Virtually everything is fine

Directed by
Ruwanthie de Chickera & Lihan Mendis

Written, devised and performed by
The Stages Youth Ensemble

PING! is an original play created out of the observations, experiences and concerns of it’s largely teenage cast.

Researched and devised by the Youth Ensemble of Stages Theatre Group, PING! deals with contemporary youth issues such as digital dependence, deteriorating mental health, changing family dynamics and the growing disconnect between generations.

This is the Youth Ensemble’s maiden production.

PING! is closely connected to the #WATSS Campaign, which was also created by the Youth Ensemble. The aim of this ongoing campaign is to bring more awareness to the phenomenon and causes of Teenage Sadness.

Set in a middle-income apartment complex in contemporary Colombo, PING! Virtually everything is fine, explores the lives of four families; centering on the lives of their teenage children.
PING! exposes how we behave when chaos pervades but social-media provides both adults and children with the option of instantaneous escape.
Runtime
2 hours and 10 minutes
Language
English; with some dialogue in Sinhala

Ping! was first staged at the Lionel Wendt Theatre, Colombo, Sri Lanka in April 2023.

The staging was supported by The Sunethra Bandaranaike Trust, The Yuma Foundation, Vinod Hirdaramani, The Oneness Centre, and our numerous GoFundMe Patrons.
“It shows the existence of a young pool of writers and actors who are unafraid to put controversial thoughts on paper, who can act at very professional levels and over and above everything, can consider their art to be worth the thought and serious work they put into it.”
“This play gives me hope… It was a young people’s play – on young people hangs the future, and in Sri Lanka, where the future is to be feared in many respects, this calls for celebration.”
Madhubashini Disanayake Ratnayake, The Daily Morning
“The play urges people to engage open and honest conversations about the role of social media in their lives.”
Anuradha Kodagoda, Sunday Observer
“The Stages Youth Ensemble blew their audiences away… “
Mithahasini Ratnayake, The Sunday Times
Directors
Ruwanthie de Chickera & Lihan Mendis
Head Writer
Ruwanthie de Chickera
Writers
Samuel Sundaralingam, Banuja Nethusara, Hajarah Faleel, Akmal Hamid, Nivedhith Jeyashanker & Kithmi Ranatunga
Cast
Vishwa Wijesooriya
Akmal Hamid
Anouk Abeywickrema
Nikhita Abeywickrema
Nethra Peiris
Kithmi Ranatunga
Akhil Skanthakumar
Theruni Indrapala
Ganan Kugan
Sasindu Randeepa
Hajarah Faleel
Samuel Sundaralingam
Shenaya Fernando
Visura Padeniya
Producer
Lihan Mendis (Stages Theatre Group)
Stage manager
Hidaayath Hazeer
Designer
Hidaayath Hazeer
Lighting design
Ryan Holsinger
Original music composition
Niky Pasolini
Projection design
Nivedhith Jeyashanker
Publicity Design
Hidaayath Hazeer, Naveed Hashim & Kithmi Ranatunga
Digital souvenir design
Naveed Hashim
Production photography
Prauda Buwaneka, Dananjaya Rathnayake & Venuki Senandi
Production filming
Malith Hegoda & Team
PING! - Digital Souvenir
PING! - Resource Pack (Coming soon)