Alya Al Zaabi: 12th Kalba Short Plays Festival concludes

A platform for young talent

Alya Al Zaabi stated that the Kalba Short Plays Festival serves as an annual laboratory for young talent in acting and directing.

She noted: "Today we bid farewell to days full of enthusiasm, affirming that the experiences we have gathered will remain alive in the festival’s memory, inspiring continued creativity and contribution in future editions."

Competition and awards

In remarks to “Sharjah 24,” Al Zaabi added that the festival featured 14 competing performances for awards in acting, directing, and scenography.

The jury announced the festival prizes during the closing ceremony at the Cultural Centre Theatre in Kalba, expressing gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of this edition, including participants, guests, audiences, and supporting organisations.

Festival Jury and cultural programme

The festival’s jury consisted of artist Abdullah Al Khadeem, engineer Waleed Omran, Dr Tamer Al Arabid, actress and critic Inas Ezzat, and artist Hisham Shakib.

The festival’s cultural programme included a forum entitled "The Role of Short Plays in Developing Directing Skills", alongside the 11th Sharjah Forum for Theatre Research, showcasing the latest theatrical research conducted at postgraduate studies colleges in Arab universities, with participation from researchers from Egypt, Iraq, Tunisia, and Morocco.