The 13th edition of the Arabic Theater Festival is set to kick off on Tuesday at Casablanca’s Mohammed VI Theater after a two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic.
The organizers hope this year’s edition will meet the standards of the Arabic and Moroccan theaters, as the strategies and efforts of the Arab Theater Institute in growing this sector.
According to the organizers, this year’s edition is themed “The Edition of Challenges and Triumphs”, noting that the biggest challenge that faced the festival was the pandemic, which forced a two-year postponement.
The seven-day event is organized by the Ministry of Youth, culture, and Communication, and the Arab Theater Institute under the patronage of Morocco’s King Mohammed VI.
The organizers praised their Moroccan partner, the ministry of youth, culture, and communication, and the Moroccan theater figures who “joined hands with the ministry and the institute, acknowledging the significance of this event, the Moroccan theatrical presence in the former and the current editions, and the value of the Arabic presence in the Moroccan horizon. Morocco, which is advancing in all fields, has been present since the first edition of the festival with remarkable artistic and intellectual contributions.”
They also lauded the sponsorship of the King, noting that it “crowns the efforts of this theatrical community, upscales the event, and highlights the theater’s significance, which we have to emphasize and deepen to enhance the role the theater plays in the life of our people.”
In addition, the organizers highlighted a historic accomplishment that required years of work in collaboration with the Mohammed V Theater, National Syndicate of Dramatic Arts Professionals, and a number of Moroccan theater figures.
They also shed lights on the Sheikh Sultan Al Qasimi Award for the Best Arab Theatrical Work, which debuted in 2012 during the 4th edition of the Arabic Theater Festival, praising the sponsor and vision of Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah, member of the Federal Supreme Council of the UAE, and chairperson of the Arabic Theater Institute.
Since its debut, the festival adopted the “Towards a New, Innovative Theater” motto that focuses on the intellectual aspect. The program of this year’s edition features important activities including the ‘16th edition of the Arabic Theater Day’s Word’ set to be addressed by Iraqi artist Jawad al-Assadi. The festival will also honor 10 Moroccan artists who will be announced during the opening ceremony, which will represent a “Moroccan message of peace to the large Arabic world”.
The opening ceremony will also include a keynote by Ismail Abdullah, secretary-general of the Arabic Theater Institute.
The Arab Theater Institute selected a group of playwrights to make critical readings that will be presented on the night of each performance. It also organizes a special cultural program in collaboration with the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences – Ben M’sik aimed at maintaining the national ambiance of the festival, and activating the institutions interested in theater. The program includes a seminar to announce the winners at “The Arabic Competition of Theatrical Scientific Research”; a special seminar dedicated to Jawad al-Assadi; and a third seminar about the experience of writer Izzedine al-Madani in which speaks Madani himself.
The opening ceremony will also announce the winners of the “Playwright for Children” and “Playwright for Adults” contests, and the jury members in both competitions.
Among the other activities is an exhibition displaying the publications of the Arabic Theater Institute and celebrating the release of 12 books about the Moroccan theater including “Critical Studies of Moroccan Theater” by Mohammed Farah, “Critical, Theatrical Trends from Morocco” by Mohammed Nawali, “Moroccan Theater on Iraqi Journals” by Ali al-Rabi, and “Contemporary Moroccan Theater…Readings of Show, Text, and Criticism” by Abdulrahman bin Ibrahim.
