Theatre is one of the oldest and most popular artforms of the Arab world. It continues to gain in popularity, led by the efforts of cultural groups and enthusiastic individuals.
The theatre culture of the region is being further led by the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated authority to promote culture, heritage and the arts.
Dubai Culture is organizing its annual Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, a pioneering festival in the region that strengthens and shapes youth participation, by reaching out to theatre talent across the UAE.
Dubai Culture will host the fourth edition of the Festival this year from October 1, 2010. A strategic initiative by Dubai Culture to strengthen the Emirati theatre sector and promote young talent, the event will feature selected plays by UAE-based theatre groups and workshops on various aspects of theatre production from scripting to directing, acting, costumes, lighting and set design.
The defining theatre event that brings together talent and enthusiasts from across the country, the Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre will foster stronger coordination and communication among various local theatre groups.
In addition to serving as a platform to showcase local talent, the festival will also highlight socially relevant themes through the viewpoint of Emirati youth. It thus offers a new window of understanding of Arab issues as perceived by the local youth.
Saeed Al Nabouda, Acting Director-General of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, said that the Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre highlights the founding objective of Dubai Culture to identify, support and nurture local talent across all art-forms.
“Theatre is part of the cultural tradition of the UAE and the wider Arab world that builds on the Arabian tradition of story-telling. The Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre encourages youngsters to showcase their talent and nurture their skills through workshops led by industry veterans. The competitive element of the festival will also shine the spotlight on the finest talent in the region.”
The plays for the festival will be selected by an internal committee in Dubai Culture, who will follow a stricter selection process this year. The plays proposed by UAE theatre groups will be chosen for their script and production concepts. This is to ensure that the quality of plays presented is of high standards, thus setting a new benchmark for the regional theatre industry.
Over the course of the two-week festival, young theatre enthusiasts will perform plays that will judged by a renowned jury, drawn from the industry. They will judge the selected plays on the script, direction, prop design and acting skills. The public will also be an integral part of the overall experience, by contributing their feedback on the plays through panel discussions held after every play.
Mr. Nabouda said that announcing the dates of the festival at this stage will provide the theatre groups with sufficient lead-time to prepare and execute high-quality productions. The dates have also been selected so that they do not coincide with any other regional theatre festivals.
The Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre winners will be awarded an array of prizes. “The festival is a stepping stone for the participants to achieve recognition regionally with the plays gaining attention at the festival going on to participate in regional events, thus enhancing their confidence,” added Mr. Nabouda.
Over the past three years, the Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre has catalysed a grassroots movement that encourages theatre enthusiasts to come together and create powerful Arabic plays that highlight the regional creative standards.
The Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre last year hosted eight plays and workshops by leading theatre professionals. The festival also honoured Emirati playwright and director Naji Al Hai with the ‘Theatre Personality of the Year Award’.
