Private Theater Venues to Make Up for Performance Space Shortage

He added that one of the most important elements of the Resistance Economy, which was ordered by the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been tapping all potentials to develop entrepreneurship, increasing public participation and constructing theater spaces.

Mahdi Shafiee was accompanied by Armaghan Behdarvand, managing director of Iran Society of Performing Arts, and Payman Shariati, director of Tehran City Theater Complex in his visit to Mashhad, irantheater.ir reported.

Mr Shafiee sad that legal potentials gave the theater a chance to use private performing arts venues in recent years. He, however, expressed regret that the capacity of theater had not developed sufficiently over the past years.

"It is needed that a mid- and long-term program to be worked out in the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance for building of theater venues across the country," the officials said and added, "This move will be accelerated thanks to the precise approach of Mr Salehi Amiri (culture minister)."

He said that the minister stressed that strengthening and supporting of infrastructures as well as participating in construction of theater venues in the country were among priorities of the ministry.

Mr Shafiee said that private-run theater spaces could help increase the capacity of performing arts venues by four times in Tehran compared to 2012.

Private theater, he said, had increased the seats to more than 2400 in the capital, helping boost the number of theater-goers.   

The new venues in the holy city of Mashahd could have positive social impacts, diminish social disorders and improve social happiness, the official stressed.

Mashahd Independent Theater Complex opened by Mr Shafiee in Mashahd on Wednesday.

The complex is the first theater complex, which is run by private sector in the eastern Iran. It has two black box theaters.

It has also a rehearsal set, training classes, recording studios and a library.