A number of exciting sponsorship opportunities are available for Short+Sweet Dubai. If you are interested in taking advantage of any of these great opportunities please contact the Associate Festival Director Liz Hadaway on shortandsweetdubai@gmail.com or the Festival Director Alex Broun on abroun@bigpond.net.au

FESTIVAL FRIEND

As a Festival Friend you or your chosen company are entitled to these benefits:

+ 2 free tickets for use at any time during  the Top 30 or Wildcards shows

+ Official acknowledgement in the Festival programme

+ Official acknowledgement on the programme for Short+Sweet’s official presentation at The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

+ Official thanks on the Short+Sweet website www.shortandsweet.org

+ 10% off all Short+Sweet workshops for the Feb 2014 - Jan 2015 season

+ Free official Short+Sweet Dubai 2014 T-shirts with the words ‘Festival Friend’

LEVEL OF SUPPORT: AED1000

BRONZE SPONSOR

As a Bronze Sponsor you or your chosen company are entitled to these benefits:

+ Logo placement on electronic rolling screens in Mall of the Emirates, Mirdiff City Centre and Deira City Centre.

+ Logo placement and acknowledgement on the programme for Short+Sweet’s official presentation at The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

+ Logo placement on posters inside and outside DUCTAC 

+ Logo placement on electronic screens inside DUCTAC

+ Inclusion on DUCTAC website www.ductac.org

+ Promotion on Short+Sweet website www.shortandsweet.org

+ 2 free tickets to the RED CARPET GALA FINAL

+ 5 free tickets for use at any time during the Top 30 or Wildcards shows

+ Logo and acknowledgement in the Festival programme

+ 2 free official Short+Sweet Dubai 2014 T-shirts with your company name and the words ‘Bronze Sponsor’

LEVEL OF SUPPORT: AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

SILVER SPONSOR

As a Silver Sponsor you or your chosen company are entitled to these benefits:

+ Logo placement on electronic rolling screens in Mall of the Emirates, Mirdiff City Centre and Deira City Centre.

+ Roll up in the foyer at DUCTAC throughout the Festival period

+ Logo placement and acknowledgement on the programme for Short+Sweet’s official presentation at The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

+ Logo placement on posters inside and outside DUCTAC 

+ Logo placement on electronic screens inside DUCTAC

+ Inclusion on DUCTAC website www.ductac.org

+ Promotion on Short+Sweet website www.shortandsweet.org

+ Presentation of awards at RED CARPET GALA FINAL by a company representative

+ 4 free tickets to the RED CARPET GALA FINAL

+ 10 free tickets for use at any time during the Top 30 or Wildcards shows

+ Logo and acknowledgement in the Festival programme

+ 5 free official Short+Sweet Dubai 2014 T-shirts with your company name and the words ‘Silver Sponsor’

LEVEL OF SUPPORT: AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

GOLD SPONSOR

As an Gold Sponsor you will receive a  marketing campaign that will drive awareness and association of your company/brand name in this winning program, including:

•Logo inclusion on all electronic screens inside Mall of the Emirates (65 Screens), Mirdiff City Centre (94 Screens) and Deira City Centre (39 Screens)

•VIP seats for 4 at the RED CARPET GALA FINAL plus invites to the official Launch Party & Closing Night event

•Logo inclusion on all advertising with Media Partner of SHORT+SWEET Dubai up to and during the Festival

•Logo on the SHORT+SWEET Web site sponsor page (www.shortandsweet.org), hyperlink & sponsor bites

•Logo inclusion in a social media campaign reaching national audience as well as on all event posters, programmes and flyers

•Recognition at all performances, the RED CARPET GALA FINAL & official Launch Party & Closing Night event

•Emcee mentions throughout all the shows

•Company Personal part of the Final Awarding Ceremony

•Banner at DUCTAC

•Logo inclusion on all Official T-Shirts

LEVEL OF SUPPORT: AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

PLATINUM-TITLE SPONSOR

As a Platinmum-Title Sponsor you will receive an extensive marketing campaign that will drive awareness and  association of your company’s name in this winning program:

•Company/Brand name becomes part of SHORT+SWEET

•Your name will appear in the beginning of each spot: “Your name” presents SHORT+SWEET, …with your company logo

•Prominent logo inclusion on all electronic screens inside Mall of the Emirates (65 Screens), Mirdiff City Centre (94 Screens) and Deira City Centre (39 Screens)

•Prominent logo inclusion on all advertising with Media Partner of the SHORT+SWEET Dubai up to and during the Festival

•VIP seats for 10 at the RED CARPET GALA FINAL plus invites to the official Launch Party & Closing Night event

•Prominent logo on the SHORT+SWEET Web site sponsor page (www.shortandsweet.org), hyperlink & sponsor bites

•Prominent logo inclusion in national social media campaign

•Enhanced logo placement on promotional materials

•Prominent logo on event posters, programmes and flyers

•Recognition at all the performances, the RED CARPET GALA FINAL & official Launch Party & Closing Night event

•Emcee mentions throughout all the shows

•Company Personal part of the Final Awarding Ceremony

•Banner at DUCTAC

•Prominent logo inclusion on all Official T-Shirts

•Prime Company Location Board at DUCTAC during the Festival

•PR radio segment

•Strong front on all social media platforms

•Visibility in the following years promos bites

LEVEL OF SUPPORT: AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED FOR SHORT+SWEET DUBAI 2015

Congratulations to the following plays that have been shortlisted for Short+Sweet Dubai 2015:

Title                                           Writer                                              Country

A Date with Doris                      Jilly Gardiner                                    UAE

A Day at the Beach                    Shina Ahmad                                    UAE

A Good Deed For Mr Stinky      Judith Duncan                                  Australia

Black Coffee                               Deanna Ableser                                USA

Breaking News                          Ayreej Rahiman                                UAE

Captain Everything                   Pete Malicki                                      Australia

Celebrity                                    Cliff Single                                         UAE

Cluster F                                     Fiona Paterson                                 UAE

Dance Partners                         Sarah Pritchard                                Australia

Dead-set Sicko Loser                 Bruno Starrs                                     Australia

Dear Darlings                           Erika herbert                                         UAE

Discovery in the Bathtub         Christopher McDermott                          UAE

Dog Bites Man                           Cerise de Gelder                               Australia

Eggshells                                    Georgia Williams                              Australia

End Point                                   John McDermott                               UAE

Going Viral                                 Brandon M.Crose                             USA

Good for Something                  Morteza Farzaneh                            UAE

Halloween                                  Sabiha Majgaonkar                          UAE

Ho$tage                                      Maha Zeibak and Osman Aboubakr       UAE

Honeymoon                               Hani Yakan                                       UAE

Hypnosia                                    Osman Aboubakr and Maha Zeibak       UAE

In Spenglic                                 Niku Sharei                                       UAE

Indicator                                    Fiona Paterson                                 UAE

Judgement                                 Mohamed Awad                               UAE

Keeping Annabelle                   Rachel Welch                                    UK

La Marie Vision                        Yasmina Khattar                               UAE

Late For School                          Iain Moss                                           Malaysia

New Year's Eve                         David MacGregor                             USA

News To Me                               Graham Yates                                   Australia

Next                                            Jesse Macpherson                            UAE

Next Door Neighbours              Marie Dullaghan                              UAE

Pain                                            Vasanth Subramaniam                    India

Pick up your chair and walk    Frank Dullaghan                              UAE

Put That Coffee Down!             Toast D'Bechamel                            Australia

Questions                                   Cliff Single                                         UAE

Raghead                                     Thomas Coash                                USA

Reservations                              Jeffrey Fischer-Smith                       USA

Snail Mail                                   Peter Bloem                                      Australia

Something To Tell You             Ashleigh Stathakis                            Australia

Speaking Freely                         Jack Kelly                                          Australia

Star Power                                 Ted Wenskus                                    USA

Take this job and shove it        Peter Milner                                     UAE

Taste of Mangoes                      Yasmina Khattar                               UAE

TBFK                                           Fiona Paterson                                 UAE

The Acid Test                           Soumiya Hussain                                UAE

The Asylum                                Frank Dullaghan                              UAE

The Babysitter                           Sadhana Natalikhan                        UAE

The Bird                                     Fiona Paterson                                 UAE

The Consultant                          Jordane Chedotal                             UAE

The End                                     Frank Dullaghan                              UAE

The Journey                               Jaidev Sanketi                                   UAE

The Kill                                       Alex Broun                                        UAE

The Literary Monogamist         John Lombard                                  Australia

The Messdeck                            Rosine Saad                                      UAE

The Passport                             henry hall                                         UAE

The perfect match                    Muhammad Sarim Irfan                 UAE

The perfect Meeting                 Kim Varnai                                        UAE

The Second Wedding               Baindu Dafina Kalokoh                   UAE

The Water's Edge                     Michael Lill                                        Australia

Third Strike                               Charlie Cunningham                       UAE

Time's Up                                   Cliff Single                                         UAE

Trouble                                      Mike Green                                       UAE

Unpredictable                           Nikhat Rafiq Rafiq                            UAE

We have a problem with forgetting          George Mitton                UAE

We're Rolling!                            Sandra Margolese                            UAE

Wilde Fragmentations              Nathan Finger                                  Australia

Wish                                           Bokkie Robertson                             Australia

Yeh Shaam Mastani                  Dilip Keshav Paranjape                   UAE

You're Driving Me Crazy          Todd Wallinger                                USA

Congratulations to all our shortlisted writers!

These plays have now been offered out to our directors who will select which play they would like to direct at the festival. The complete list of plays selected to be performed at the Festival will be announced by mid-January 2015.

The following Independent Theatre Company productions (ITC) will also be presented at the Festival.

Title                                           Writer/Director/ITC

Child Soldier                              Written by J.Thalia Cunningham (USA), Presented by Backstage,

                                                   Directed by Ankita Manikantan

Cold Feet                                    Written and directed by Iobel Andemicael (UAE),

                                                   Presented by American School of Dubai Adult Drama Group

I love you two                            Written and directed by Pawan Manghnani (UAE),

                                                  Presented by Aish Outt Productions

It's All the Rage                         Written by Carl J. Sorheim (Australia), Presented by Backstage,

                                                   Directed by Gautam Goenka

It could happen to you/Shackles      Written by Abhijit Baurah (UAE)

Mandate                                    Written by Kelly Younger (USA), Presented by Backstage,

                                                  Directed by Arjun Burman

Moving Fast                              Written by Adam Gelin (Australia), Presented by Backstage,

                                                  Directed by Chandni Varma

Rub-a-dub-dub                         Written and directed by Liz Hadaway (UAE),

                                                   Presented by Inspire           

TBC                                             Directed by Priyanka Johri, Presented by Backstage

The Break                                  Written and directed by Caroline Fernandez (UAE),

                                                  Presented by Backstage

The Bronx Budgie                     (Winner Summer Stage Write 2014),

                                                   Written and directed by Mike Green (UAE), Presented by Backstage                 

The Ithica Project                     (Runner up Summer Stage Write 2014), Written by Arjun Burman (UAE),

                                                   Presented by Backstage, Directed by Akshay Gehi

The King is Dead                       Written by David Jay (RAK),

                                     Presented by RAKADS (Ras Al Khamimah Amateur Dramatic Society)                            

Untitled                                      Written by Nirjhar Chakraborty (UAE),

                                                   Presented by Srijon                        

Walpurgisnacht                         Written by Bettina Schober and Nina Hein (UAE),

                                                   Presented by incorpore productions         

The following ITCs will also present productions at the Festival: Third Half Theatre, American School of Dubai (ASD), ASD Adult Theatre Group, Dubai Drama Group, Loom Ensemble, Theatrewallas Productions and Star Too.

Thanks to all the wonderful writers and ITCs who submitted works. We’re looking forward to an amazing Festival.

Short+Sweet Dubai will be held at DUCTAC in the Mall of the Emirates on February 6 and 7, 13 and 14, 20 and 21 and (GALA FINAL) 27 and 28, 2015. Tickets will go on sale early in January 2015.

AUDITIONS

The auditions for Short+Sweet Dubai will be held between Noon to 6pm on Friday December 5th and 10am to Noon on Saturday December 6th.  If you would still like to register for an audition or know anyone who would please simply email us at shortandsweetdubai@gmail.com to request an audition.

All the best, The Short+Sweet Dubai Team

DATES: Friday February 6th & Saturday February 7th at 7.30pm

VENUE: Kilachand Theatre, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates

(PLEASE NOTE - PLAYS ARE NOT LISTED IN ORDER!)

BUY TICKETS

AND WHAT A DAMN FINE MORNING IT IS

Another beautiful morning at Arabian Ranches, where neighbors and friends Ted & Jim remind each other exactly why they love the Joneses so much.

Writer: Trace Crawford (USA)

Co-directed by Philip Jamal Rachid & Jamal Hassan Iqbal

A SugarDandy & SoulTrotter Presentation

Cast: Philip Jamal Rachid (Ted), Jamal Hassan Iqbal (Jim)

DAWNTIME BLUES

Sunrise Blues is adapted from the full length performance "Prime," playing now at thejamjar, through the end of February. More info, please visit www.LoomEnsemble.com

Writer: Neva Cockrell (USA)

Director: Raphael Sacks

Co-presented by the Art Monastery Project, and Loom Ensemble

Cast: Neva Cockrell (Eos), Raphael Sacks (Peter)

DISCOVERY IN THE BATHTUB

Archimedes’ Principle indicates that the upward force on a body immersed in a fluid is equal to the weight of the fluid that is displaced. The play tells this story.

Writer: Chris McDermott (Dubai)

Directors: Chris McDermott and Cris Mejia

Script editor: Erik Thornquist

Cast: Erik Thornquist (Ajax), Beth Burrows (Katina), Rick Johns (Archimedes)

HERE COMES TROUBLE

Trouble… Now there’s a word. Here Comes Trouble is a tale of love, loss and skidding wheels. Enjoy the Ride!

Writer: Mike Green (Dubai)

Director: Celia Cookson

Cast: Ramya Bala (Miss Pangle), Rob Tasker (Algernon), Jojo José (The Driver),

Mike Green (Cuthbert)

HYPNOSIA

A story about the time worn struggle between passion and duty; or is it?

Writer: Osman Aboubakr and Maha Zeibak (Dubai)

Director: Osman Aboubakr

Production: Maha Zeibak

Technical Support: Shihas Salim

Special thanks to: Mohammed Rahmo, Adam Radolinski, Ava Ghasemi

Cast: Lydia Maskall (Cyllene), Ahmar Iqbal (Kale), Amit Kapur (President Charron), Manjunath Naidu (Guard)

PARADISE

A bold, relishing take on the Adam and Eve story … a satire on history of relationships.

Writer: Steven Hopley (Australia)

Director: Sabiha Majgaonkar

Presented by Orb Drama Club (ODC)

Cast: Lynsey Wright and Ryan D’Sa

TAKE THIS JOB AND SHOVE IT

Rachel is a long serving and conscientious member of the ACME company. It is her life, outside of work she only has her cat for company. Abdul is the security man who has to break some bad news. Is there room for revenge here?

Writer/Director: Peter Milner (Dubai)

Presented by Dubai Drama Group

Cast: Erika Herbert (Rachel, an employee of ACME), Ali Noman (Abdul, the security man from ACME)

THE BRONX BUDGIE

The winner of Backstage’s Stagewrite competition leaves you breathless like a canary in a trouser press. We got dames, hoods, and a story of Love with guns… What more d'ya want, already?

(Winner Summer Stage Write 2014)

Writer/Director: Mike Green (Dubai)

Presented by Backstage

Cast: Celia Cookson (The Femme Fatale), Brent Jenkins (The Writer), Ahmar

Iqbal (Flynn), Jad Rouphael (The Gangster), Akshay Gehi (The Second Gangster)

THE ITHICA PROJECT

Lucy stares down Dr. Mason under the harsh light of a secure D.O.D facility. He’s rambling on with stories on time travel: “These are not stories!” he loudly interrupts.

(Runner up Summer Stage Write 2014)

Writer: Arjun Burman (Dubai)

Director: Akshay Gehi

Lights and Sound: Jimish Thakkar

Presented by Backstage

Cast: Shihas Salim (Dr. Stan Mason), Butool Zaidi (Lucy Maxwell), Billy Acklam (Dr. Mark Emmet), Jenny Gray (Dr. Liz Mitchell), Osman Aboubakr (Dr. George Andrews), Akshay Gehi (Emergency Intercom)

THE MALTESE WALTER

Hammett’s classic noir style meets a Freudian couch in this 10-minute wonder replete with slick banter, casual humour and just the right amount of absurdity that will leave you wanting. Because once you go noir…

Writer: John Minigan (USA)

Director: Siddarth Sivaprakash

Presented by Theatrics

Cast: Sanjeev Dixit (Dr.Eddy), Siddarth Sivaprakash (Walter), Shereen Saif (Vera)

THE PRISONER

This February after being taken, one person will get to the truth. He will resist. He will not be a prisoner. He will not be a number. He will be a free man.

Writers: David Daly and Celia Cookson (Dubai)

Director: Robert Tasker

Cast: Suraj Gill (The Prisoner) Christine Jones (Number 2) Mark Marlborough (The Butler) Tanita Sandhu (Rover)

THE SECRET ORIGIN OF THE MOJO MAN

Two best friends, one is trying to convince the other they have super powers and that they can get ANY girl in the world.

Writer: Walter Wykes (USA)

Directors: Phil Ridley, Gemma Jones, Marcia Irving

Presented by American School of Dubai

Cast: Keenan Shuman (Mickey), Sami Malas (Vick), Clara Harter (Bree)

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DATES: Friday February 13th & Saturday February 14th at 7.30pm

VENUE: Kilachand Theatre, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates

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1. NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOURS

James’s little brother marries his wife’s best friend, and comes to live next door. It’s all one big happy family. But maybe they’re just too close for comfort…

Writer/Director: Marie Dullaghan (Dubai)

Assistant Director: Kevin Reeves

Cast: Kevin Reeves (James), Hassan Bello (Peter), Rosine Saad (Susan), Lorena Eugenia Arcos (Geraldine)

2. THE MESSDECK

The Supernatural Messdeck of all great leaders in History is having an extraordinary meeting to find a solution for the events in 2014 timeline.

Writer/Director: Rosine Saad (Dubai)

Assistant Production : Dan Frederick

Cast: Adam St (Julius Caesar), Erik Thronquist (Winston Churchill), David Ym Carré (Napoleon Bonaparte), Danabelle Gutierrez (Queen of Sheba), Britney Miller (Cleopatra), JD Laljani (Obi One Kenobi), Hyunseung Hahn (Elvis Presley),  Dan Frederick (Leonidas).

3. MANSTRUATING

Are women living in a man's world or are men living in a woman's world?

Writer: Adam Szudrich (Australia)

Director: Ankita Manikantan

Sounds: Anish Rao

Presented by Backstage

Cast: Ali Asgar Raja (MAN), Ankita Manikantan (WOMAN)

4. PAIN

Do two wrongs make a right? One man's confrontation with the very reason he finds himself asking the same question.

Writer: Vasanth Subramaniam (India)

Director: Rory McLoughlin

Presented by Theatrical Immigrants

Cast: Oliver Marriott

5. RUB-A-DUB-DUB

Once upon a time and very long ago, a most strange occurrence happened. There lived a candlestick-maker and his wife, who longed for a child.

Writer/Director: Liz Hadaway (Dubai)

Presented by The Theatre Company

Cast: Mike Green (Borden), Lisa Harter (Clotilda), Manjunath Naidu (More), Alisha Ahmad, Khadija Ahmad, Maahiya Jain, Nikhat Rafiq, Ashmit Ribeiro, Ashlyn Ribeiro (ensemble)

INTERVAL

6. SOULMATE

A heart-breaking, hair raising story about a couple who share an apartment. A dark story of love, which will make you think how and where you will find your soul mate?

Original Idea/Concept : Anshuman Singh/Yasir Jah

Theatrical Adaptation : Prakash Soni

Presented by Theatrewallahs Productions

Cast : Sapna Rao, Ramdas Rao and Rahul Taneja

7. INDICATOR

Romance is about to stall for London couple Dex and Stra: they're losing spark arguing over a friend's wedding. Will they find a sign to help them turn things right?

Writer/Director: Fiona Paterson (Dubai)

Cast: Pawan Manghnani (Dex), Hazel Lucas/Fiona Paterson  (Stra), Vibha Vinodrai (Fida), Fiona Paterson/Vibha Vinodrai  (Waitress)

8. A PROBLEM WITH FORGETTING

She didn't mean to leave the dog out overnight, but they punished her anyway. If only that were all she'd forgotten.

Writer/Director: George Mitton (Dubai, from UK)

Cast: Marie Dullaghan (Angela)

9. SARAH

Nick, a New York City firefighter, is expecting an All-American girl for a blind date but finds himself in for a surprise.

Writer: Tom Coash (USA)

Director: Sunil Jasuja 

Presented by Third Half Theatre

Cast: Disha Joseph (Sarah), Kalyan Chakravarthy (Nick)

10. A DAY AT THE BEACH

The Stork and The Grim Reaper head to the beach for some downtime, but these workaholics are finding it hard to unwind on their one day off a century.

Writer: Shina Ahmad (Dubai)

Director: Juliska Szik

Technical support: Tamas K. Antal

Cast: Rick Johns (The Stork), Eric Dury (The Grim Reaper)

11. LA MOUCHE

This poor customer walked in the wrong restaurant.

Writer: Stephen Bittrich (USA)

Director: Paula Abbott

Assistant Director Paige Ardill

Presented by ASD Adult Theatre

Cast: Ahne Crawford-Ridley (Pierette), Mark Needs (Customer), Mark Schmidt (Chef), Phil Ridley (Jacques)

BUY TICKETS

DATES: Friday February 20th & Saturday February 21st at 7.30pm

VENUE: Kilachand Theatre, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates

(PLEASE NOTE - PLAYS ARE NOT LISTED IN ORDER!)

BUY TICKETS

1. HONEYMOON IS OVER (Arabic/English)

The honeymoon is finished early and secrets spill out in the most unexpected place ...

Writer/Director: Hani Yakan (Dubai from Syria)

Presented by Dubai Drama Group

Cast: Hani Yakan (Husband), Hajer Al Musleh (Wife), Namrata Gill (Airport check-in officer)

2. QUESTIONS

Questions: A twisted interrogation of power, persuasion and delusion.

Writer: Cliff Single (Dubai)

Director: Caroline Brooks

Presented by Dubai Drama Group

Cast: 13 Feb - Jonathan Siklos (Smith) and Toby Masson (Jones); 14 Feb - Toby Masson (Smith) and Jonathan Siklos (Jones)

3. IT'S ALL THE RAGE

Alex is 22 years old. He likes to skate, he listens to punk music, he wears hoodies. …And he has a fantasy that isn’t all that healthy.

Writer: Carl J Sorheim (Australia)

Director: Gautam Goenka

Presented by Backstage

Cast: Asad Raza Khan (Alex)

4. WISH

How one short chat between a fourteen years old girl dying of cancer and a famous actor can change some of your priorities.

Writer: Bokkie Robertson (Australia)

Director: Hana Erskine

Cast: Adam St (Jack), Lydia Maskall (Stephanie)

5. EPILOGUE: THE DAUGHTERS OF BERNARDA ALBA

In this imagined epilogue to Federico Garcia Lorca’s 1935 play, The House of Bernarda Alba, Adela is dead; her sisters, imprisoned by their mother’s perverted sense of honor, struggle to survive.

Writer/Director: Iobel Andemicael (Dubai) after Lorca

Co-Directors: Lisa Harter, Aida Laubach, Polly Root and Panayiota Triantafyllou, with special thanks to Paula Barry, Marcia Irving and Ahne Crawford Ridley.

Presented by ASD Adult Theatre

Cast: Lisa Marie Harter (Bernarda Alba), Polly Root (Poncia), Aida Laubach (Angustias), Panayiota Triantafyllou (Martirio), Iobel Andemicael (Magdalena)

6.  I CAN TELL YOUR HANDBAG IS FAKE

Three ladies travelling in the train, their handbags, their stories about the handbag and all the madness you can possibly imagine!!!  

Writer: Dean Lundquist (Singapore)

Director: Siddhartha B Jose

Cast: Cristina Mejia (HOLLY), Maha Husain (LULA), Ramya Bala (MAE)

INTERVAL

7. THE CASE OF THE MISSING NECKLACE

Mystery surrounds the disappearance of a precious jewel. Until Dick Piston arrives on the scene.

Writer: Adapted from "Praguenosis" by Jeff Goode.  With permission.

Directors: Michel Atieh, Salman Qureishi and Hananah Zaheer

Presented by The Royal Shakespeareans

Cast: Michel Atieh, Salman Qureishi, Hananah Zaheer

8. THE KILL

"Sweet Dreams!", we wish everyone, hoping they could become reality. But what about Nightmares? If they too could come true ... Would you dare to dream again??

Writer: Alex Broun (Dubai)

Director: Gargi Basu

Cast: Jayesh Raj (Simon) & Aaqeel Shariff (Wayne)

9. TRÉTEAU

I don’t know how to describe this play; some alternate titles were: ‘It’s All Been Done Before Too’ and ‘Think Inside The Box’. I suppose in many ways it’s a distillation of my love—our love—for the theatre.

Writer/Director: Sanjeev Dixit (Dubai)

Presented by Third Half Theatre

Cast: Shereen Saif, Minali Patel, Ushma Shah Jasuja, Cmith Sarkar, Dharam Veer Sood, Siddarth Sivaprakash, Sunil Jasuja

10. THE END

If the world was due to end today, what would you do?  Sandra and Adam are in an elevator with ten minutes to go….

Writer: Frank Dullaghan (Dubai)

Director: Kathryn Pepper

Cast: Sandra Spencer (Sandra), Manjunath Naidu (Adam)

11. MANDATE

Forced into a guy’s night out by their wives, a stay-at-home dad and a stay-in-his-cubicle accountant go on a disastrous ‘first date’ only to learn that friendship really is magic.

Writer: Kelly Younger (USA)

Director: Arjun Burman

Presented by Backstage

Cast: Kailash Nair (Marc), Zain Sheikh (Drew)

12. I LOVE YOU TWO

Valentines at AKS Lounge, Casanova Aal mentoring his shy friend Lucky on how to score any woman in the world! An 'Exotic' Comedy of Lust Versus Love ! Who’ll Win?

Writer/Director: Pawan Manghnani (Dubai)

Choreography: Namrata Manghnani

In loving memory of Late Sunil Bherwani 

Presented by Aish Outt Productions

Cast: Amirbehzad (Aal), Hitesh Sukhnani (Lucky), Jennifer Mauerhofer (Ms. Exotic Filipino, Ms. Exotic Russian, Ms. Exotic Local, Ms. Exotic Indian), Mel Kay (Ms. Saudi Arabia 2015)

BUY TICKETS

DATE: Saturday February 7th at 2.30pm

VENUE: Kilachand Theatre, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates

(PLEASE NOTE - PLAYS ARE NOT LISTED IN ORDER!)

BUY TICKETS

A DATE WITH DORIS

Doris, a pensioner and a widow, looks to shake things up in her life by getting back into the dating game.

Writer: Jilly Gardiner (RAK/UK)

Director: Adnan Bashir

Cast: Sabiha Latif (Doris), Adnan Bashir (Tom)

BLACK COFFEE

A “chance” encounter in a coffee shop and the often uncomfortable energy that must be expended to make a connection with another possible kindred soul. As long as they drink their coffee …black.

Writer: Deanna Ableser (USA)

Directors: Beth Burrows/ Taraash Mehrotra

Cast: Beth Burrows and Taraash Mehrotra

DEAR DARLINGS

Writer/Director: Erika Herbert (Dubai/Hungary)

Cast: Elizabeth Patino (Ms Seabass), Sherry Dang Briet (Cat)

END POINT

Many like to think that marriage lasts forever. Or do we? End Point is a play about a vengeful and vicious husband, spurned by his wife. Or is it?

Writer: John McDermott (UK)

Director: Kalyan Chakravarthy

Lights & Sound: Sunil Jasuja

Cast: Cristina Mejia (Megan), Jo Jo Jose (Louis), Jenny Turkington (Mrs.Green), Christopher McDermott (Director)

MOVING FAST

Writer: Adam Gelin (Australia)

Director: Chandni Varma

Presented by Backstage

SURGERY

A priest visits the dentist of a small town in India with a toothache but finds himself trapped in the hands of an amateur sub-ordinate … from hell.

Writer: Anton Chekhov (Russia)

Hindi adaptation: Sunil Jasuja, Kalyan Chakravarthy

Director: Disha Joseph

Presented by Third Half Theatre

Cast: Kalyan Chakravarthy (Dentist’s assistant), Sunil Jasuja (Priest)

THE BEST, BIGGEST, AND GREATEST SHOW YOU'VE EVER SEE, EVER, ANYWHERE ON THE EARTH (IN THEN MINUTES OR LESS)

This is the best, biggest, and greatest show you've ever seen, ever, anywhere on earth, in ten minutes or less.

Writer/Director: Jesse Macpherson (Canada/Dubai)

Writing Collaborator: Ian Rogers

Cast: Timou and Minou Karaztikan (as themselves), Paulina "The Bearded Lady" Paulson (as herself), DareDevilDan (as himself), 20 tame monkeys (as themselves), 3 mostly tame crocodiles (as themselves), The Lizard Man (as itself), Bertie -the world's only half elephant, half rhinoceros! (as The Amazing Bertie)

THE PERFECT MATCH

A tale of awkward moments when Ali’s parents take him along to pick a girl for him over a high tea in an arranged marriage setup.

Writer/Director: Muhammad Sarim Irfan (Dubai)

Photographers: Bilal Shafiq Bhatti photography & Abdul Rehman

Graphic designing: Exhibitcv

Cast: Amlan Sengupta (Ali), Mehreen Ali (Ali's mom), Rahul Kumar (Ali's Father), Niharika Pathak (Sarah), Subrata Ravinder Singh (Sarah's mom)

THIS WOMAN'S MIND

About women's repression in certain parts of the world.

Writer/Director: Aishwarya and Joshua

Presented by The Ripple Effect

Cast: Rohan Nayak (Father), Mithilla (wife), Ananya (child), Monisha (teenager), Namratha (dancer), Purnima (dancer), Aishwarya (dancer)

WHAT'S FOR BREAKFAST?

Nothing typical about this morning but...! Soha, the young journalist comes back home after staying missing for her friends and family for 24 hours only to realise the true facts of life and relationships.

Writer: Nitesh Tiwari (India) (English Adaptation: Rashi Sharma)

Director: Prakash Soni

Music: Rohan Utpat and Vinayak.

Singer: Ishita Chaturvedi.

Lyrics: Pranjal Choudhary

Music Operation: Lakshman Rao

Lights: Prakash Soni

Presented by Theatrewallas Productions

Cast: Rashi Sharma (Soha)

YEH SHAAM SUHAANI (Retirement-Home) (Hindi)

Due to nuclear family of present day, it is not possible to take care of Greying Generation of house. To overcome this situation it is best option to decide and stay in Retirement Home.

Writer: Dilip Paranjape (India / Maharashtra)

Director: PRADEEP ROY CHAUDHARY (India / Bengal)

Cast: Rajinder Kaur Bharaj (Devika) (Female), Dilip Paranjape (Dinanath) (Male)

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DATES:  Saturday February 14th at 2.30pm

VENUE: Kilachand Theatre, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates

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1. THE SECOND WEDDING

This drama portrays the explosive moments of a faithful wife, whose arrogant husband marries a second woman, and moves the new bride into their home.

Writer: Baindu D. Kalokoh (Abu Dhabi)

Directors: LéJon April and Baindu D. Kalokoh

Cast: LéJon April (Rita), Baindu D. Kalokoh (Leslie), Charles Sibanda (John)

2. THE BABYSITTER

How far would you go with technology?

Writer/Director: Sadhana Natali-Khan (Dubai)

Cast: Kazim Khan, Ella Hohmann, Connor George, Paula Hohmann and Haider Khan.

3. V.D.

Sofie is in her 30’s, slightly neurotic and has spent many a Valentine’s Day alone. This year she is asked out by a stranger. Will she risk a blind date on Valentine’s Day with a perfect stranger?

Writer: Pete Malicki (Australia)

Director: Divya Shetty

Presented by Orb Drama Club (ODC)

Cast: Sabiha Majgaonkar

4. THE ACID TEST

A modern day relationship drama, where Michelle is tired of dating the wrong guys, and hopes to find her Mr. Right in Keith. Is Keith is the right one?

Writer/Director: Soumiya Hussain (Dubai)

Cast: Eliane El Tromb (Michelle), Niku Sharei (Patricia), Andrew Teperdjian (Keith Rogers), Soumiya Hussain (Female Customer), Deepen Gandhi (Charlie)

5. STARRY LITTLE STORIES

A quest to recapture that natural wonder of childhood, where shadows were never shadows but strange, horned creatures, and simple sticks were capable of destroying worlds.

Writer: Ryan Kayello (Dubai), Dhruti Shah

Director: Pascal Buyse (Belgium)

Visual Designer: Kalki Karthikeyan

Presented by The Loom Ensemble

Cast: Ryan Kayello, Dhruti Shah, Raphael Sacks, Neva Cockrell,  Nikita Patel, Pascal Buyse (ensemble)

6. MANDRAGORA

A man recovers to find he has some of the memories of the person who died from the same accident.

Writer: David Sharpe (Australia)

Director: Rhea Dixit

Presented by Third Half Theatre

Cast: Sanjeev Dixit (Isaac), Minali Patel (Mother, Mrs. Lucas, Paula)

INTERVAL

7. THE KING IS DEAD

Are you at a revivalist meeting or in a shabby theatre witnessing a revival of another kind? Is the King dead or alive? Life and death in 21 songs.

Writer/Director: David Jay (RAK/UK)

Presented by RAKADS (Ras Al Khamimah Amateur Dramatic Society)

Cast: David Jay (The King), Robert McCarthy (Manager/MC), Shelley Lawson (Heckler)

8. WILLING SUSPENSION

A moving exploration of a father and son relationship.

Writer: Abhijit Baruah (Dubai/India)

Director: Aaqeel Shariff 

Cast: Abhijit Baruah, Farzeen Mehta and Abhimanyu.

9. PROTIGHATOK (Bengali)

Two contract killers find themselves in a hotel room, contracted to kill each other. After settling down and as trust develops, they discover that they have been contracted by the same man…both their lives are now in danger.

Writer: Adapted from The Assignment by Graham Jones by Tanusree Chakraborty

Director: Tanusree Chakraborty ( West Bengal , India )

Presented by Srijon

Cast: Supriya Ganguli ( Mr G ), Nirjhar Chakraborty ( Mr C )

10. IN SPENGLIC

In Spenglic, sacrificing your identity for a job is the status quo. Meetoo has just arrived and is hired at Globitron, where she deliberates fight, flight or forgo for survival.

Writer/Director: Niku Sharei (Dubai)

Cast: Fiona Paterson (KellA), Poonam Ganglani (Meetoo), Sherry Dang Briet (ShelB)

11. FIRING FRANCINE

Francine is driving her boss crazy.

Writer: Don Hannah (Canada)

Directors: Phil Ridley, Gemma Jones, Marcia Irving

Presented by American School of Dubai

Cast: Aya Abou-Jaoude (Iris), Tala Al Rajjal (Francine)

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DATE: Saturday February 21st at 2.30pm

VENUE: Kilachand Theatre, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates

(PLEASE NOTE - PLAYS ARE NOT LISTED IN ORDER!)

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1. GOOD FOR SOMETHING

Through the interplay of a bank management trainee's first day on the job on Wall Street and his chance encounter with a New York City cab driver the play explores how as society and as individuals we come to terms with what is "good" as we struggle to make something of our lives.

Writer: Morteza Farzaneh (Dubai)

Director: Nyra Constant

Production Manager: Maryam Farzaneh 

Cast: Imad Tello ( Iztak/Instructor), Eliot Zein (Narrator/Student #1), Ken Estoesta (Student #2 (Kim)), Elizabeth Patino (Student #3 (Late Arrival)), Eliane El Tromb (Student #4 (Focus girl)), Kurt Pereira (Taxi Driver)

2. PLEASE HAVE A SEAT SOMEONE WILL BE WITH YOU SHORTLY

David and Sue sit there week after week in their shrinks' waiting room reading magazines. So who says you should never talk to strangers?

Writer: Garth Wingfield (USA)

Directors: Phil Ridley, Gemma Jones, Marcia Irving

Presented by American School of Dubai

Cast: Sanjit Chakravantry (David), Maryam Abdallah (Sue)

3. THE JOURNEY

The journey of Jackie Plato through the film industry has been a series of sleepless nights. Can he realise his dreams in the midst of all the drama?

Writer/Director: Jaidev Sanketi (Bangalore, India)

Script development and casting: Taraash Mehrotra

Cast: George Anastasiades (Jackie Plato), Laura Denmar (Mother), Sandra Spencer (Tina), Rishika Kasliwal (Fan girl), Aysan Kargar (Alana), Alan Williams (George), Abraham Vadakkan (Mr. Khan), Jaidev Sanketi (Billy)

4. UNPREDICTABLE

The delightful tale of two loving flowers and their adventures with the bees, fruits and humans!

Writer/Director: Nikhat Rafiq (Dubai)

Cast: Jake Thompson (Pom), Ines Zerelli (Ranata ), Sara Dolati (Bee & Fruit female), Mehreen Chowdhury(gardener), Karim Elmallakh (Bee & Driver) and Omar Addis El Yassir (Fruit male)

5. LA MARIE VISON

An Old lady embracing her mink coat that not only keeps her warm but keeps the memories of her younger days alive where love, joy and sadness mix together to produce somehow a funny and yet poignant story.

Writer/Director: Yasmina KICI KHATTAR (From France but living in Dubai)

Cast: Mina KICI KHATTAR (La Marie Vison)

6. FALLING

Have you ever fallen off your bike? Out of a tree? On your face? In love? Out of love? For someone you shouldn’t have?  Through the air? In someone’s opinion?

Writer: Angie Farrow (NZ)

Presented by Short+Sweet Acting group

Cast: Eliane El Tromb (Holly), Hiba Ayoub (Reporter), Adam St (Doctor), Callum Webster (Leo), Fariha Iqbal (Paticia)

INTERVAL

7. RELICS

Mathilde Kruger hasn’t seen her husband since 1944. Tonight, from the sickening underbelly of society, Mathilde will extract the light she so desperately needs to face the rest of her life alone. So rejoice with Mathilde because tonight - finally - her husband is coming home!

Writer: Brett Danalake and Iain Triffitt (Australia)

Director: Subrata R. Singh

Presented By Orb Drama Group

Thanks to: Jimish Thakkar, Ronak G. Kunder, Hassan Ali, Fahad Hassan, Mehreen Ali, Shivin Singh, Ravinder Singh

Cast: Kathryn Pepper, Ameerzeb Amjad, Zain Sheikh

8. THE CONSULTANT

A down-on-his-luck executive and a vacationing businessman meet in the lobby of a swanky hotel - in a chance encounter that changes everything for them forever.

Writer/Director: Jordane Chedotal (Dubai)

Cast: David Daly (Guest), Ahmed Rabieh (Business Man)

9. BANK WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS

Robbing a bank is hard enough, and it doesn’t get any easier when the lobby is filled with congenial customers. Bank thief Marcus has his hands full when side issues and conversations among the victims keep interrupting his robbery.

Writer: Jim Gustafson (USA)

Directors: Sheryl Porbanderwala

Presented by ASD Adult Theatre

Cast: Sam Matthews (Marcus), Mark Schmidt (Jackson), Polly Root (Sally), Jean Candiotte (Older Woman), Phil Ridley (Older Man), Clair de Valk (Young Woman), Iobel Andemicael (Middle-aged Woman), Zara Kazi (Teenage Girl)

10. MANTA RAY AND BUTTERFLY

"Manta Ray and Butterfly" was created through 4 weeks of Loom Ensemble's Interdisciplinary Theatermaking Workshops. For more info, please visit www.LoomEnsemble.com

Written by Pascal Buyse

Directed by Neva Cockrell

Cast: Rindala Semaan, Natalie Wehbe

11. THE BREAK

Tina and her boyfriend go on a break and she heads to New York City to distract herself, quickly discovering just how much she’s missed while absorbed in her relationship.

Writer/Director: Caroline Fernandez (Dubai)

Assistant Director: Romita Maitra

Presented by Backstage

Cast: Disha Joseph (Tina), George Mitton (Beekeeper), Paurav Shah (Farukh Shan), Kuvam Sharma (Dancer), Vikram Ahuja (Boyfriend)

12. THIRD STRIKE

12. THIRD STRIKE

Fantasy Land rules, section 815-B-0-AD, states that all theft, sexual misconduct, embezzlement, forgery, farting without saying "Excuse me" and belching in common places are prohibited. If convicted the offender may be sentenced to death.

Writer: Charlie Cunningham (Abu Dhabi)

Presented by The Short+Sweet Acting group

Cast: Taylor Re'Lynn (Cupid), Maryann Antony (Leprechaun), Natalia Key (Pristine), Erika Herbert (Easter Bunny), Sai Bhaswana Ghate (Bellina), Murat Ozturk (Tooth Fairy)

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(GALA FINAL PREVIEW: Friday February 27th at 7.30pm)

DATE: Saturday February 28th at 7.30pm

VENUE: Kilachand Theatre, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates

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The best 11 productions of the Festival as chosen by our audience and judges from the three weeks of Top 30 and Wildcards.

(PLEASE NOTE: PLAYS ARE NOT LISTED IN RUNNING ORDER)

IT'S ALL THE RAGE

(TOP 30 WEEK 3 - JUDGE'S CHOICE)

Alex is 22 years old. He likes to skate, he listens to punk music, he wears hoodies. …And he has a fantasy that isn’t all that healthy.

Writer: Carl J Sorheim (Australia)

Director: Gautam Goenka

Presented by Backstage

Cast: Asad Raza Khan (Alex)

LA MARIE VISON

(WILDCARDS 3 - JUDGE'S CHOICE)

An Old lady embracing her mink coat that not only keeps her warm but keeps the memories of her younger days alive where love, joy and sadness mix together to produce somehow a funny and yet poignant story.

Writer/Director: Yasmina KICI KHATTAR (From France but living in Dubai)

Cast: Mina KICI KHATTAR (La Marie Vison)

MANSTRUATING

(TOP 30 WEEK 2 - JUDGE'S CHOICE)

Are women living in a man's world or are men living in a woman's world?

Writer: Adam Szudrich (Australia)

Director: Ankita Manikantan

Sounds: Anish Rao

Presented by Backstage

Cast: Ali Asgar Raja (MAN), Ankita Manikantan (WOMAN)

RUB-A-DUB-DUB

(TOP 30 WEEK 2 - JUDGE'S CHOICE)

Once upon a time and very long ago, a most strange occurrence happened. There lived a candlestick-maker and his wife, who longed for a child.

Writer/Director: Liz Hadaway (Dubai)

Presented by The Theatre Company

Cast: Mike Green (Borden), Lisa Harter (Clotilda), Manjunath Naidu (More), Alisha Ahmad, Khadija Ahmad, Maahiya Jain, Nikhat Rafiq, Ashmit Ribeiro, Ashlyn Ribeiro (ensemble)

STARRY LITTLE STORIES

(WILDCARDS 2 - JUDGE'S CHOICE)

A quest to recapture that natural wonder of childhood, where shadows were never shadows but strange, horned creatures, and simple sticks were capable of destroying worlds.

Writer: Ryan Kayello (Dubai), Dhruti Shah

Director: Pascal Buyse (Belgium)

Visual Designer: Kalki Karthikeyan

Presented by The Loom Ensemble

Cast: Ryan Kayello, Dhruti Shah, Raphael Sacks, Neva Cockrell,  Nikita Patel, Pascal Buyse (ensemble)

THE BRONX BUDGIE

(TOP 30 WEEK 1 - JUDGE'S CHOICE)

The winner of Backstage’s Stagewrite competition leaves you breathless like a canary in a trouser press. We got dames, hoods, and a story of Love with guns… What more d'ya want, already?

(Winner Summer Stage Write 2014)

Writer/Director: Mike Green (Dubai)

Presented by Backstage

Cast: Celia Cookson (The Femme Fatale), Brent Jenkins (The Writer), Ahmar Iqbal (Flynn), Jad Rouphael (The Gangster), Akshay Gehi (The Second Gangster)

THE ITHICA PROJECT

(OVERALL TOP 30 PEOPLE'S CHOICE SELECTION)

Lucy stares down Dr. Mason under the harsh light of a secure D.O.D facility. He’s rambling on with stories on time travel: “These are not stories!” he loudly interrupts.

(Runner up Summer Stage Write 2014)

Writer: Arjun Burman (Dubai)

Director: Akshay Gehi

Lights and Sound: Jimish Thakkar

Presented by Backstage

Cast: Shihas Salim (Dr. Stan Mason), Butool Zaidi (Lucy Maxwell), Billy Acklam (Dr. Mark Emmet), Jenny Gray (Dr. Liz Mitchell), Osman Aboubakr (Dr. George Andrews), Akshay Gehi (Emergency Intercom)

THE PERFECT MATCH

(OVERALL WILDCARDS PEOPLE'S CHOICE SELECTION)

A tale of awkward moments when Ali’s parents take him along to pick a girl for him over a high tea in an arranged marriage setup.

Writer/Director: Muhammad Sarim Irfan (Dubai)

Photographers: Bilal Shafiq Bhatti photography & Abdul Rehman

Graphic designing: Exhibitcv

Cast: Amlan Sengupta (Ali), Mehreen Ali (Ali's mom), Rahul Kumar (Ali's Father), Niharika Pathak (Sarah), Subrata Ravinder Singh (Sarah's mom)

THE SECRET ORIGIN OF THE MOJO MAN

(TOP 30 WEEK 1 - JUDGE'S CHOICE)

Two best friends, one is trying to convince the other they have super powers and that they can get ANY girl in the world.

Writer: Walter Wykes (USA)

Directors: Phil Ridley, Gemma Jones, Marcia Irving

Presented by American School of Dubai

Cast: Keenan Shuman (Mickey), Sami Malas (Vick), Clara Harter (Bree)

THIS WOMAN’S MIND

(WILDCARDS 1 - JUDGE'S CHOICE)

Our dance drama takes you through the story of a girl child born into a family with a misogynistic father, and the stages of her life from oppression to power. The dance is the representation of the girl's mind.

Writer/Director: AishwaryaShivkumar and Joshua Johnson

Presented by The Ripple Effect

Cast: Rohan Shashikant Nayak, Mithila Lad Nayak, Ananiya V Lakshmi, Monisha Sukumar, Namratha Sankar, Abbas Moiz, Ajmal Hussein Saudagar, Purnima Ananthanarayan, Rajendiran Arunachalam and Aishwarya Shivkumar.

TRÉTEAU

(TOP 30 WEEK 3 - JUDGE'S CHOICE)

I don’t know how to describe this play; some alternate titles were: ‘It’s All Been Done Before Too’ and ‘Think Inside The Box’. I suppose in many ways it’s a distillation of my love—our love—for the theatre.

Writer/Director: Sanjeev Dixit (Dubai)

Presented by Third Half Theatre

Cast: Shereen Saif, Minali Patel, Ushma Shah Jasuja, Cmith Sarkar, Dharam Veer Sood, Siddarth Sivaprakash, Sunil Jasuja

(PLEASE NOTE: PLAYS ARE NOT LISTED IN RUNNING ORDER)

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