Ribeiro: Theater Showcase Effective in Introducing Iran Theater

He visited Mahdi Shafiee, director of Dramatic Arts Center on Monday, talking his evaluation of Iran theater and Iranian actors.

Mr Shafiee said during the meeting that Iran had prioritized organizing workshops and courses on management and marketing of theater productions as the country enjoyed special theater potentials.

In recent years, the official said, the number of theater graduated had grown and the young generation was considered as a good potential to turn into theater audience.

He added that young and talented directors and theatrical troupes had managed to encourage more audience to watch their shows.

One of the potentials of Iran is, Mr Shafiee said, its young audience. While most theater audience are middle-aged or old in Europe, over 90 per cent of Iranian theater-goers and troupes are young and university students.

He expressed willingness for preparing the ground for education on process of production and marketing in the field. “Given the young and professional workforce as well as stronger presence of independent theater in Iran in recent years, the need for education on the field is felt more.”

On Iran’s plan to hold a seminar on the capacity of independent theater in the country, which will be held in March, 2017, Mr Shafiee invited Mr Ribeiro to take part in the event.

Mr Ribeiro expressed satisfaction for his visit to Iran, saying that the number of shows being performed in Tehran every night was a surprise to him.

He said that he had seen one show so far, which had quality acting while the quality of a 15-minute show in the workshop was grea. Mr Ribeiro was influenced by high creativity and diversity in acting too, he said. “You have a bright road ahead and I feel energetic and curious now.”

The instructor said that the participants of the workshop devote lots of energy, which show they would have a bright future ahead.

He stressed that the country needed professional distributors, producers and planners to help market and expand this artistic phenomenon, adding that those with such capacities should invest on technical sections.

“They should be a part of artistic network. Such network must be set up in Iran to bridge artists’ relationships. It can help works to be seen across the country by circulating the productions and launching theatrical tours,” the instructor explained.

Mr Ribeiro stressed that arts are global today and establishing a connection between Iran theater and the world was of paramount importance. He, however, added that to get globalized was difficult but those who embark on it would become more successful.   

Praising theater market in Iran, he said that launching a theater showcase could help introduce Iran theater and create opportunities for theatrical troupes.

He also urged that translation of Iranian plays in English was needed urgently.