KUWAIT CITY, Nov 30: The National Council for Culture, Arts, and Letters (NCCAL) will host the 24th Kuwait Theater Festival next Wednesday, under the patronage of Minister of Information, Culture, and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi.

Festival Director Wael Al-Jaber shared in a press statement on Saturday that the event will feature a variety of activities, including six theatrical performances, discussion panels, and two artistic workshops. He emphasized that the festival has established itself as a prominent fixture in the artistic landscape and holds a significant place in Arab theater.

The opening ceremony will take place at Dasma Theater and will honor the festival's distinguished personality, veteran artist Maryam Al-Saleh, in recognition of her long-standing contributions to dramatic and theatrical arts. The festival will also honor guest artist and playwright Ismail Abdullah, the Permanent Committee for Civil Troupes of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and other theater professionals. The ceremony will conclude with the announcement of the festival jury.

The festival will run from the opening event until December 12 and will be hosted at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, which will serve as the residence for guests and the media committee. During this time, the festival will feature dialogues with Maryam Al-Saleh and Ismail Abdullah, as well as discussions on the theatrical performances. A distinguished group of artists, critics, academics, and specialists will lead these discussions in the seminar hall at Dasma Theater.

Additionally, the Permanent Committee of Civil Troupes of the Gulf Theater Festival for the GCC countries will host a celebration, present the strategy for future events, and honor its members.

The first performance will take place on December 5, with the play "Under the Shadows" by the Gulf Arab Theater Troupe, written by Maryam Naseer and directed by Mohammed Al-Ansari. On December 6, the Kuwaiti Theater Troupe will present the play "From Another Angle," written by Musab Al-Salem and directed by Mohammed Al-Shatti. On December 7, the Arab Theater Group will perform "Don’t Gift a Rose," written by Bader Hayati and directed by Ahmed Al-Bannai. On December 8, the Public Authority for Youth will present "Rape," written by Saadallah Wannous and directed by Khaled Amin. On December 9, Trend Production Company will stage "You Are Invited to a Party," written by Fatima Al-Amer and directed by Hani Al-Hazzaa. The final performance will be "Call" by the Higher Institute of Theatrical Arts, written by Othman Al-Shatti and directed by Faisal Al-Ubaid, on December 10.

All performances will be held at Dasma Theater, followed by practical seminars with the participation of artists, critics, and academics. The festival will conclude with a closing ceremony and award distribution at Dasma Theater on Thursday, December 12.

Al-Jaber expressed hope that the 24th edition of the festival will achieve its goal of showcasing theatrical works that resonate with the audience, highlighting the importance of theater in raising awareness within society.