Mahdi Shafiee: Hope Seminar to Open Windows for Independent Theater

Mahdi Shafiee, director general of Dramatic Arts Center, Mehrdad Rayani-Makhsous, secretary of the seminar, and member of its scientific board including Dr Hossein Salimi, Dr Ali Montazeri, Dr Farhad Mohandespour, Dr Mohammad-Bagher Ghahremani and Dr Hamid-Reza Sheshjavani described independent theater sector a newborn phenomena in the country’s theater, stressing on drafting the scientific and futurist strategy about production of articles and functional topics of the seminar, irantheater.ir reported.

Mr Shafiee thanked members of the board, hoping that the seminar would help solve the challenges facing independent theater in Iran and open a window for discussing the existing facts and problems between the theater community and policymakers.

Referring to rise in the population of theater graduates over the past two decades, theater troupes and enthusiasm of the society to theater, the official said that the state sector was unable to develop infrastructure as much as the public demand.

He added that given the broad responsibilities of the government, it was necessary it could suggest strategies to meet demands of artists –one of them was tapping the potentials of independent sector and young educated talents.

A step had been establishing single-purpose institutions and independent theater venues over the past three-four years, which were active in 13 specialized theater fields, Mr Shafiee explained.

Dr Mehrdad Rayani-Makhsous said that the independent theater was a functional, accessible and evaluable phenomenon in the country, adding that the seminar would closely evaluate the upcoming events to figure out strategies, perspectives and plans.

The seminar will be held in early March in Tehran.