Street Theater a New Window to Develop Iran’s Theater

Hamid Shahabadi, deputy culture minister for artistic affairs, Ghader Ashena, director of Dramatic Arts Center, Karimian, Marivan MP, Ghobad Maymanatabadi, director general of Kurdistan Culture and Islamic Guidance Drpartment, secretary of the festival and some Kurdistan officials of dramatic arts attended the meeting.
Shahabadi described Marivan Street Theater Festival as an important event, which the philosophy behind it was more important than just organizing a festival, Iran Theater website reported.
He praised Ashena for paying special attention to street theater since taking the office in Dramatic Arts Center (DAC).
“The festival in the scenic city of Marivan shows how much attention the ministry’s department for artistic affairs gives to the provinces and the cities,” Shahabadi said.
Street theater, the official stressed, was a window for development of theater in the country. “The benefits of street theater will reach the country’s theater first and is the best way to make people acquainted with theater and interact with them.”
He explained how public get familiar with theater through street theater, which could be regarded as something above a form of theatrical performance because it chooses its audience among passersby and make them think for a moment.
Shahabadi expressed satisfaction that Marivan was known as base for street theater in recent years, hoping that this makes street theater to develop and the beautiful city as a trademark name for this theatrical performance. “In other word, it is good that we have a specialized base for street theater.”
The festival will actually help this form of theater improve in Marivan, said Shahabadi, calling on the organizers to make the festival a national event where interested people regard as an important place for competition among street theater groups.
“The festival must become national. If it focuses on Kurdistan province, it would harm the festival and its continuation,” he said.
“As street theater has turned into a concern for artists in this province, it must become an issue for artists from other provinces.”
The participation of experts in the festival will help develop the street theater, the official said, urging officials of provinces to consider a permanent place for street theater with the cooperation of municipalities.
Shahabadi said the flag of street theater must be unveiled and this flag must be hoisted in any province with active street theater for encouraging other provinces to become active in this regard.
He also stressed that street theater must have a determined place and not to be performed in any street for staying away of wandering of this form of theater.
Permanent places must be determined for street theater, he reiterated, adding that 204 permanent areas were fixed for the purpose so far in different provinces.    
Shahabadi said street theater had a few immoralities because the public eye hosts and supports this theatrical performance and does not need the typical overseeing of stage theater.
He added that no decision was made to change the host of street theater festival, stressing that Marivan must be the custodian of the country’s street theater provided that it hosts street theater not only during the festival but also during the rest of year.
Ashena expressed satisfaction that some festivals were tied to the names of certain cities and added that these festivals show rich culture and ancient civilization of Iran, making other countries to have a positive view of the country’s theater.
As it is seen Hamedan province is tied to Children Theater because it is a venue for its annual festival, he explained, expressing satisfaction and hoping that the country to host such cultural events more.
He said 40 theater group was participating in Marivan festival of which eight were from Kurdistan province. The number of participants is increased this year compared to those of previous editions.
Then Karimian, Marivan lawmaker, said the slogan of ‘the art was originated from Iran’ could not be materialized unless every corner of the country joins hand to improve art.  
Iran has a shining record in all cultural and artistic aspects in the world now, he said.
Referring to 3,000-year-old history of Kurdistan province, Karimian said the province occupies a special status at the national and international level.
“As the leader named Kurdistan as a cultural province during his visit to the province, we are proud that we have a good status in national level.”
The month of Mehr (September 22-October 21) reminds the people of Kurdistan as the time for the opening of Marivan Street Theater Festival. They get ready for holding the festival during the period, he said.
Karimian hoped that an independent secretariat and secretary would be introduced for the Marivan festival to help improve street theater nationally and be in coordination with the DAC-affiliated secretariat of festivals in the capital and province.
Ali Akbar Tarkhan, deputy DAC director for international affairs, Vahid Lak, DAC’s provincial affairs coordinator, Mehdi Hajian, director of DAC’s secretariat for festivals, Payman Shariati, director of Public Relations Office of DAC and Ebrahim Gallehdar, managing director of Iran’s Dramatic Arts Association took part in the meeting.
Marivan Street Theater Festival will take place from September 28 to October 2. Ghobad Maymanatabadi is the secretary of the festival.