Therukoothu ...
The traditional "Therukoothu" is a form of rural folk theatre from Tamil Nadu. The Term "Therukoothu" literally means "street theatre" and the performance is usually enacted outdoors. The dance-drama, based on traditional epic poetry and folklore, includes dance and songs sung in a high pitch by male actors, who also wear colourful make-up and costumes.

Therukoothu may be described as Traditional Indian Dance-Drama that makes use of prose, verse, music and dance, dramatizing stories from the epics of Indian Literature, namely, the Bhagavata, Mahabarata ad Ramayana. The term 'Theru' means street or outside, the term 'koothu' theaterical art form. Theru-k-koothu is a typical south indian theatrical form that is practiced mostly in the rural areas. Indian performing arts can generally be seen in two distinct categories, those linked to the tribal or village peoples which are termed 'folk', and those linked to the urban areas which are termed 'classical'. The form is ideally a cultural off-shoot that exists very much within a specific cultural context, adhering to certain broad principles

Therukoothu is more popular in rural areas even today. The artists themselves introduce their roles. Songs rather than dialogues are given prominence during performance. Artists are trained to sing in their own voice in a high pitch and to deliver lengthy traditional dialogues. The performances generally depict scenes from great epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata, and occassionaly from Tamil classics. Traditionally the members of the troupe are all male. The performances takes place in the summer months when there is less agricultural work.