{{short description|Indian theatre actress}} {{Infobox person | name = K. P. A. C. Beatrice | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_date = 1937 | birth_place = Fort Kochi, Kerala, India | death_date = | death_place = | education = | occupation = theatre actress | spouse = Joseph | father = Vakko | mother = Mariam | children = 2 | awards = {{ubl|Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award (1988)|Kerala State Award for drama acting (1998)|Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship (2019)}} }} '''K. P. A. C. Beatrice''' is an Indian theatre actress from Kerala. She received many awards including the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award in 1988 and the Kerala State Award for drama acting in 1998 and the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship for the year 2019.
==Biography== Beatrice was born to Vakko and Mariam of the Ilanjikkal family in Fort Kochi. While Beatrice working as a heroine in K. P. A. C. plays, her marriage with Joseph, a native of Pathanamthitta was fixed. But due to her affliations with the Communist Party of India, there were disgareements within the church about conducting the marriage. Finally, it was decided that if Beatrice agreed to hold a wooden cross and attend the masses (Qurbana), the marriage can be conducted. Beatrice gave her consent and she married Joseph in 1962, following which she took a break from acting for about six years.<ref name="mathrubhumi" />
Beatrice, lives with her eldest daughter Asha and her family in Koovappadam, Thoppumpady in Ernakulam district.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=നാടകവേദിയിലെ ബിയാട്രീസ് - articles,features - Mathrubhumi Eves |url=http://www.mathrubhumi.com/mb4eves/online/malayalam/kerala/women/articles/features-article-342243 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130224192139/http://www.mathrubhumi.com/mb4eves/online/malayalam/kerala/women/articles/features-article-342243 |archive-date=2013-02-24 |access-date=2026-04-18 |website=www.mathrubhumi.com}}</ref> Bindu is her youngest daughter.<ref name=":0" />
==Theatre career== Beatrice first acted in Pala Narayanan Nair's play 'Kaviyude Makal', while she was only eight years old.<ref name="mathrubhumi">{{Cite web |date=2017-05-18 |title=കെ പി എ സി ബിയാട്രിസ്- 'നിങ്ങളെന്നെ കമ്മ്യൂണിസ്റ്റാക്കി'യിലെ നായിക |url=https://archives.mathrubhumi.com/women/features/kpac-drama-artist-beatris-ff47b4ca |access-date=2026-04-18 |website=@mathrubhumi |language=en}}</ref> Then, at the age of thirteen, she joined P. J. Antony's troupe.<ref name="mathrubhumi" /> She became famous with the play 'Charitharthyam' of Antony.<ref name="mathrubhumi" /> She gained more attention in 1954 for her role as the heroine Janu in Erur Vasudev's 'Jeevitham Avasanikkunnilla', which was presented by Kerala Progressive Theatrical Arts.<ref name="deshabhimani">{{Cite web |title=ഇപ്റ്റയുടെ വി ടി ഭട്ടതിരിപ്പാട് സ്മാരക പുരസ്കാരം ബിയാട്രിസിന് |url=https://www.deshabhimani.com/News/kerala/ipta-award-announced-33622 |access-date=2026-04-18 |website=Deshabhimani |language=en}}</ref> That play was performed in about a hundred stages.<ref name="mathrubhumi" />
While studying dance at Kerala Kalamandalam, she often went with the dance team of Gangadharan Master at Kalamandalam. Their dance performance would have preceded KPAC's play, and through that trips she got acquainted with the Kerala People's Arts Club (KPAC).<ref name="Manorama">{{cite news |title=‘പൂവുമായി വേദിയിലേക്ക് വരും, ഐ ലവ് യു പറയും, പേടിച്ചത് പക്ഷേ അതുകൊണ്ടല്ല...; സ്നേഹം ‘നാടക’മല്ലാതിരുന്ന കാലത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് ആ രണ്ടു പേർ... |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/premium/entertainment/2025/09/19/kpac-beatrice-and-ammini-earnest-share-their-experiences-with-kpac-and-kerala-theaters-hortus-special-prm.html |work=Manorama Online |publisher=Malayala Manorama |language=ml}}</ref> It was in 1957, people including Thoppil Bhasi invited her to KPAC. The first play she acted in KPAC was 'Survekkallu'. Later, she acted in plays like 'Mudiyanaya Putran', and 'Enik maranamilla', and travelled all over Kerala with the KPAC troupe.<ref name="Manorama"/>
Since she was mainly a dancer, the influence of dance even on her movements became a problem in the stage acting. It was Thoppil Bhasi who changed that and turned her into a theatre actress,' says Beatrice.<ref name="mathrubhumi" />
After joining the KPAC, she later became close to the Communist Party of India. Although her family members were communist sympathizers, she left the KPAC and joined other troops due to opposition from the other family members and locals, even during her marriage.<ref name="Manorama"/>
Later, she went abroad with her husband for two years. During that time, her husband suffered a stroke. While she was suffering her life with her two children and her husband who was bedridden for six years, she was invited to rejoin the KPAC, and she accepted the invitation and rejoined.<ref name="Manorama"/>
During her second foray into theatre acting with KPAC, she toured all over India with noted plays like 'Innale, Innu, Nale', and 'Ningalenne Communist Akki'.<ref name="Manorama"/> Beatrice, who was with KPAC for 22 of her 60-year theatrical career.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-09-13 |title=അനുഭവങ്ങള് പറഞ്ഞ് അരങ്ങിലെ അമ്മമാര്; കേട്ടും കയ്യടിച്ചും പുതുതലമുറ |url=https://www.manoramanews.com/kerala/latest/2025/09/13/malayala-manorama-hortus-nadakanubhavam-sangamam-at-ernakulam.html |access-date=2026-04-18 |website=Manorama News |language=ml}}</ref>
After leaving KPAC, she worked in Cochin Sangamithra for eight years and later in other troupes in Kerala like Suryasoma, Angamaly Pooja, Thiruvananthapuram Aradhana, Kundamkulam Geethanjali, Poonjar Navadhara, and Vaikom Malavika.<ref name="mathrubhumi" /> She last acted in John Fernandes' play 'Kolakolli'.<ref name="mathrubhumi" />
==Film career == Beatrice has acted in Malayalam films like, ''Oru Sundariyude Katha'' (1972) and ''Enippadikal'' (1973) directed by Thoppil Bhasi, ''Hridayam Oru Kshethram'' (1976) directed by P. Subramaniam, ''Manimuzhakkam'' (1978) directed by P. A. Backer, ''Ahalya'' (1978) directed by Babu Nanthankode, ''Madaalasa'' (1978) directed by J. Williams, ''Lillipookkal'' (1979) directed by T. S. Mohan, ''Randu Mukhangal'' (1981) directed by P. G. Vasudevan, ''Kaalam'' (1982) directed by Hemachandran, ''Kanakachilanga Kilungi Kilungi'' (1982) directed by Vijayaraghavan, ''Calender'' (2009) directed by Mahesh Padmanabhan, ''Vadhyar'' (2012) directed by Nidheesh Shakti, ''Amen'' (2013) directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery and ''Annayum Rasoolum'' (2013) directed by Rajeev Ravi.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ബിയാട്രീസ് |url=https://m3db.com/beatrice |access-date=2026-04-18 |website=M3DB |language=en}}</ref>
==Awards and honors== Beatrice received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award in 1988 and the State Award for drama acting in 1998 for her performance in Angamaly Pooja's 'Deshavilakku'.<ref name=":0" /> She also won the POC Award for Poonjar Navadhara's 'Akshayamanasam'.<ref name=":0" /> In 2020, Beatrice received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship for the year 2019.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2020-09-16 |title=Sangeetha Nataka Akademi fellowships for 3 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/sangeetha-nataka-akademi-fellowships-for-3/article32624099.ece |access-date=2026-04-18 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> In 2025, she received the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) V. T. Bhattathiripad Memorial State Drama Award.<ref name="deshabhimani" />
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Beatrice, KPAC}} Category:Living people Category:People from Ernakulam district Category:Malayali people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Indian stage actresses Category:Actresses in Malayalam theatre Category:20th-century Indian actresses Category:Recipients of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award