Dharmavaram Ramakrishnamacharyulu was a Telugu playwright. He is also famous as actor and director. He is known as Andhra nataka pitamaha i.e. `grandfather of Andhra theatre`. Dharmavaram Ramakrishnamacharyulu originally Komanduru initially trained as a Shakespearean actor in Madras. Returning to Bellary in Karnataka as an advocate, he wrote and produced two short satires in Telugu, namely Unmatha Rama prekshaniyakamu i.e. `Insane Rama`s Drama` and Madana vilasamu i.e. `Madana`s Exploits` in 1879. These were not well received. His next play, Swapnaniruddham i.e. `Aniruddha in the Dream` in 1880 was in Kannada. Dharmavaram Ramakrishnamacharyulu`s first full-length Telugu work was Chitra Naliyam i.e. `Nala`s Curious Tale` in 1886 was first performed in January 1887. Influenced by Parsi Theatre, especially Balliwala Company`s performances in Madras, Ramakrishnamacharyulu introduced the elaborate singing of poems and songs. His experiment swept Telugu theatre for the next half-century.

Of Dharmavaram Ramakrishnamacharyulu`s twenty-eight Telugu plays, only fourteen were published and four are available in manuscript. The others are lost. Many are mythological. The names can be mentioned as Savitri-Chitraswamu i.e. `Savitri and Chitraswa` in 1890, Chirakari in 1890, Varudhini in 1896, Brihannala in 1897, Prahlada probably in 1898, Muktavali and Chandrahasa during 1896-98, etc. some others can be named as Panchali swayamvaram i.e. `Panchali`s Choice of Groom` in 1900, Mohini-Rukmangada or `Mohini and Rukmangada` in 1901, Paduka pattabhishekam or `Coronation of the Footwear` in 1903, and Pramilarjuniyam i.e. `Pramilaand Arjuna` in 1905. Vishada Sarangadhara i.e. `Sarangadhara`s Tragedy` in 1896 was based on a local legend. This was the first original Telugu tragedy. Roshanara-Shivaji i.e. `Roshanara and Shivaji` in 1896 is historical. All are known for carefully constructed plots. Dharmavaram Ramakrishnamacharyulu introduced several innovations, including such Western dramatic conventions as prologue and epilogue, the five-act structure dividing acts into scenes, and, obliquely, contemporary social and political elements.

Dharmavaram Ramakrishnamacharyulu founded the well-known Sarasa Vinodini Sabha in 1886. This was a group that specialized in performing his plays. They invented the padya natakam or verse drama in Telugu. This initiated a new era of acting during which metrical stanzas were sung in profusion. The Sabha toured extensively all over the erstwhile Madras state with Dharmavaram Ramakrishnamacharyulu `s plays, introducing the musical to coastal Andhra through its productions. It constructed its own theatre in 1905. However, a dispute on the rights of Dharmavaram Ramakrishnamacharyulu`s manuscripts forced him to leave and start the Abhinava i.e. `new` Sarasa Vinodini Sabha in 1912.