Performing Arts Spaces Adapt to Changes in Black Box Theatre Policies

On 15th January, 2026, Professor Justin McCarthy, Director of Performing Arts at Ashoka University, shared new policies for booking the Black Box theatre. The new policy allows each production one day of rehearsal, with a maximum of six days per semester that the theatre can be booked. These changes follow the wear and tear that the theatre experienced in the past semester due to an increased volume of productions, and to make the space more equally accessible to all. The revised policies have prompted performing arts societies to rethink how they rehearse, schedule performances, and navigate campus performance spaces.

In conversation with The Edict, Professor McCarthy shared that such a change was considered in light of the increased demand for booking the Black Box theatre in the past year. It also followed the need to change the earlier system of a first-come, first-served basis, which led to overbooking early in the semester and limited access for others later. Professor McCarthy, along with Amit Kumar, Manager of the PA department, said that the limit on the number of booking days has reduced rehearsal time for productions, prompting a shift to complete the remaining rehearsals elsewhere on campus. The two also shared that the new fixed operational hours of the Black Box theatre, which have been decided as 6:00 a.m to 12:00 midnight, allow for increased safety and address supervision concerns about the theatre. With the introduction of this structured booking system, nearly all available slots for April were filled, allowing around fifteen different student groups to make use of the Black Box within a single month.

With regards to scheduling conflicts, McCarthy shared that when students have requested more time in the theatre to set up and prepare for productions, the department is able to provide them with more slots closer to their performance dates through their manual scheduling system led by Kumar. McCarthy also shared that the changes have brought up the need for a designated Black Box theatre manager who would oversee the booking schedule, the general upkeep of the theatre, and ensure smooth functioning. Concerns regarding the new policies focus on maintenance, due to the equipment damage to the lights and technology in the theatre, which need frequent repair, and cleanliness with the use of decor such as confetti. These issues require lengthy bureaucratic processes to solve and firmer oversight of the theatre’s use. As Kumar shared, since it is “difficult to keep a track of who is leaving the space in the right shape, and following all the guidelines… we are trying to make it slightly more regulated, but at the same time, also trying not to make it too strict that it [the theatre] becomes inaccessible.” McCarthy shared his wish to see performances in other performance spaces on campus, such as the open amphitheatre and Dr. Reddy’s Auditorium. 

To ascertain the response from performing arts societies, The Edict spoke with Virika Khemka (UG ‘28), the former Society Head of Abhinaya, the Dance Society. Khemka shared that the policies have been quite successful because they give “everybody enough time in the Black Box, and… the space to actually go and experiment there… we do have to make everything work quickly, but that gives us a lot of efficiency as well.” Abhinaya has adapted to the new policies by blocking tasks such as lights and sound in the theatre before showcases. Due to performances often being of long duration, they often request other students who have slots before or after theirs to have their setups completed ahead of time. Khemka appreciated the approachability and accommodating nature of the Performing Arts Department, as requests for a few extra hours in the theatre are approved based on availability, “but we try to fit within what the policies state”.

Similarly, Krishnav Sachdev (UG ‘28), the former Co-President of Vistaar, the Music Society, shared that the updates in the new booking policies for the Black Box theatre have proven to be quite effective. He noted that the recent surge in creative performances on campus – particularly in the Black Box theatre – has been encouraging, but has also intensified logistical pressures. With more performances, a small group of students often take on the bulk of organisational responsibility, leading to burnout and frequent clashes over space and scheduling.

However, both Sachdev and Ishthara Kiran (UG ‘28), the former Vocal Representative for Jim Jams, Vistaar’s Western Music Choir, highlighted certain structural constraints within the policies that limit their effectiveness. With Vistaar’s three choirs – AppleCello, Alankār, and the Jim Jams – collectively allocated six booking days, these are quickly exhausted by essential requirements such as soundchecks and showcases, significantly reducing the society’s capacity to host additional events. She noted that this has, to some extent, prompted the choirs to book alternative venues such as the Open Amphitheatre, particularly when access to the Black Box becomes too restrictive. Anushka Navaneeth (UG ‘27) and Surya Bhat (UG ‘26), former representatives of Apple Cello, Vistaar’s Acapella Choir, shared similar concerns. They have found it difficult to time and plan performances in the theatre, leading to minimal time for experimentation during sound checks within the one-day slot. 

Navaneeth and Bhatt emphasised that the current system does not adequately account for the differing needs and functioning of individual societies. Sachdev suggested that a conversational relationship between the performing arts societies and the Performing Arts department would be the most effective in this case, “as the people who facilitate the space could talk to the representatives from PA, to figure out what works best for booking the theatre, [with regards to] how they [societies] function, and then creating a sort of personalised cap based on that”.

McCarthy and Kumar confirmed that the policies are a building block toward making performance spaces more accessible to all students, in a regulated manner. “The whole sort of concept behind the Black Box is that it, rather than you having to conform to the performance space, it sort of conforms to you.” McCarthy said the department welcomes input, “if they come up with suggestions, we can keep making changes”.

[Edited by Antara Kulkarni and Avika Mantri]