Somalatha Subasinghe Explained

Somalatha Subasinghe
සෝමලතා සුබසිංහ
Birth Date:2 July 1936
Birth Place:Gampaha, Sri Lanka
Death Place:Colombo, Sri Lanka
Nationality:Sri Lankan
Education:University of Peradeniya
Occupation:
  • Actress
  • Playwright
  • Stage director
  • Teacher
Spouse:Lionel Fernando
Children:Kaushalya Fernando, Shyamalika Nanayakkara
Relatives:D. W. Subasinghe (brother)
Awards:

Kala Suri Somalatha Subasinghe (2 July 1936 – 30 May 2015 as සෝමලතා සුබසිංහ) was a Sri Lankan actress, playwright, theatre director and educator from Sri Lanka.[1] She received both the Kala Suri and the Kala Keerthi in recognition of her contribution to Sri Lankan theatre.

Biography

Early life and education

Somalatha Subasinghe was born in Gampaha on 2 July 1936. Her father was a principal and her mother was a teacher. She attended Musaeus College and later Buddhist Ladies College, Colombo.[2] After successfully life

Subasinghe joined the Education Department of Sri Lanka in 1962 as a graduate teacher. She taught drama at Nalanda College, Colombo in the mid-1970s.[3]

Family

In 1962, Somalatha was married to Lionel Fernando, who has acted as Sri Lanka's ambassador to Malaysia, the Netherlands and France.[2] [4] They have two children, Kaushalya Fernando,[5] who is married to Dr. Chandana Aluthge,[6] and Shyamalika Nanayakkara.[4]

She died on 30 May 2015 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Career

Involvement in theatre

Having shown an interest in art and music from a young age, Subasinghe's stage career took off while she was studying at the University of Peradeniya. Her first role, at age 24, was that of an old woman, the only female character in the original cast of Ediriweera Sarachchandra's play Raththaran.[7] Sarachchandra encouraged her to consider a career in acting and became a lifelong influence on her.

She founded the Lanka Children's and Youth Theatre Foundation (LCYTF) (also known as Play House - Kotte) in 1981.[8]

Somalatha Subasinghe's involvement in Sri Lankan theatre included her participation as an actress and later, as a scriptwriter and director of her own productions.[9] [10] When she appeared as Sara in Mudu Puththu by Gunasena Galappaththi she performed her own songs, and sang with rhythm and melody.[10] The play, an adaptation of Garcia Lorca's Yerma,[1] included a well known song that is now sung by children.

Films

Somalatha Subasinghe also acted in films including Viragaya, Madol Duwa, Mahagedera, Thilaka Saha Thilaka, Me Mage Sandai, Sudu Kaluwara and Siribo Aiya.[11]

Television dramas

Somalatha Subasinghe acted in several television dramas including Ella Langa Walawwa, Gamperaliya and Suba Anagathayak.[12]

Awards and honours

Somalatha Subasinghe won Best Director and Best Translated Production awards for the stage play Yadam and the Best Director award for the play Antigone, at State Drama Festivals.[13] She has been recognised with the national Kala Suri award. She was given the Kala Keerthi awards for her contribution to theatre on 15 November 2005.[14]

Filmography

As a film actress

Year Film Role Ref.
1973 Dahakin Ekek Sirisena's mother
1976 Madol Duwa Upali's stepmother [15]
1976 Thilaka saha Thilakaa Thilake's mother
1979 Wasanthaye Dawasak Sudu Menike
1980 Siribo Ayya Biso's mother
1982 Maha Gedara Malwinna mother[16]
1983 Muhudu Lihini
1984 Arunata Pera Banda's sister
1984 Parasathuro Ran Ethana
1985 Rejina
1987 Viragaya Veda Hamine [17]
1993 Guru Gedara Ariya's mother
2003 Sudu Kaluwara Appuhamy's mother

As a stage actress

As playwright/director

Plays for children

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: She opened a magical chapter for children’s drama . The Sunday Times . 2011 . 27 July 2015.
  2. Web site: 2015 . Somalatha’s significance . 27 July 2015 . The Sunday Observer.
  3. http://www.divaina.com/2012/11/25/cineart02.html ස්‌කෝලෙට යක්‌ බෙරයක්‌ ගන්නත් නාට්‍ය පෙන්නුවා ගාමිණී හෙට්‌ටිආරච්චි අතීතාවර්ජනය
  4. News: Somalatha Subasinghe plays multiple roles on ‘Celeb Chat’. 27 August 2015. Sunday Times. April 24, 2011.
  5. News: Somalatha, doyen of drama no more. 27 August 2015. Sunday Observer. 31 May 2015.
  6. News: Doyen of Sinhala drama bids farewell to the nation. 27 August 2015. Daily News. June 1, 2015.
  7. Web site: Successful survival . Ceylon Today . 2012 . 27 July 2015.
  8. Web site: Somalatha Subasinghe; Pioneer of children’s theatre . Sunday Times . 2015 . 27 July 2015.
  9. Web site: Multi-faceted theatre personality Somalatha Subasinghe . The Sunday Observer . 2001 . 27 July 2015.
  10. Web site: Somalatha Subasinghe: Creator of quality children's entertainment . The Sunday Observer . 16 November 2008 . 27 July 2015.
  11. Web site: Actress Somalatha Subasinghe passes away . News First . 2015 . 27 July 2015.
  12. Web site: Veteran dramatist Somalatha Subasinghe passes away . . 2015 . 27 July 2015.
  13. Web site: Veteran dramatist Somalatha Subasinghe's funeral today . News.lk . 2015 . 27 July 2015.
  14. News: National Honours. 27 August 2015. Sunday Observer. 20 November 2005. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924121026/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2005/11/20/new27.html. 24 September 2015. dmy-all.
  15. Web site: All about Madol Duwa . Sarasaviya . 3 March 2020.
  16. Web site: All about Maha Gedara . Sarasaviya . 3 March 2020.
  17. Web site: All about Viragaya . Sarasaviya . 3 May 2020.
  18. Web site: A fitting theatrical analysis on modern education: Somalatha Subasinghe’s "Vikurthi" . 2021-01-11 . Sunday Times.
  19. Web site: Popular children’s plays go on the boards . 2021-01-11 . sundaytimes.

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