Short+Sweet Theatre Dubai 2019
The seventh annual Short+Sweet Dubai Theatre Festival will run for six sensational weeks at The Junction in Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz from January 24th to March 9th, 2019
The full schedule for the Festival will be announced soon but in the meantime here's your chance to register for the UAE's number one theatre event.
To register as an ACTOR click HERE
To register as a DIRECTOR click HERE
To register as an INDEPENDENT THEATRE COMPANY (ITC) click HERE
To regsiter as a WRITER/Enter a SCRIPT click HERE
To register as BACK STAGE CREW click HERE
To register your interest as an AUDIENCE MEMBER click HERE
DEADLINES:
SCRIPT ENTRY - 5pm, Sunday September 30
ITC and DIRECTOR REGISTRATION - 5pm, Monday October 15
ACTOR REGISTRATION - 5pm, Monday October 22
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Welcome to Short+Sweet - a more creative world ten minutes at a time! Please register here for our upcoming Short+Sweet Theatre Festival in Dubai, to be hosted at The Junction in Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz.
... read more
Welcome to Short+Sweet - a more creative world ten minutes at a time! Please register here for our upcoming Short+Sweet Theatre Festival in Dubai, to be hosted at The Junction in Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz.
... read more
WEEK 1 TOP 50 (25TH & 26TH JANUARY 7:30 PM)
PLAYS IN RUNNING ORDER
1. MARRIAGE AND MONSTERS
This play is a perfect explanation for, "what happens inside a superhero's home is a mystery to civilians!" When in fact it is quite normal. Superheroes, Steve and Karen are working hard at saving their marriage while literally saving the world, perhaps even the galaxy!
Writer: Jamie Hughes (UK)
ITC: H72 Productions
Director: Gweys Soriano
Cast: Dee Gee and Gweys Soriano
2. ROUGH DEFINITION OF TRUTH
A Simple conversation between two people leads to revelation of secrets that neither of them expected.
Writer: Dian Neligan (Australia)
ITC: The Drama Galleries
Director: Kunal Bhatia
Cast: Lionel Mendonsa (Blake), Vaishali Balgu (Alexa)
3. PSYCHIC’S PREDICTION
They say death is unpredictable, Alex's psychic thinks otherwise.
Writer: Shifa Ahsan (Pakistan)
ITC: Heriot Watt Drama Club
Director: Shifa Ahsan
Cast: TBD
4. MEMORY CARD
Cora and Carol, best friends suffering from dementia, are in an experimental memory care facility. Their memories come and go with downloads and deletions, but their friendship remains stalwart until a certain secret is revealed.
Writer : Connie Schindewolf (USA)
Director : Richa Anand Nigam
Cast : SaiLaxmi PS (Cora), Richa Anand Nigam (CarolL), Anjan Lahiri (Announcer)
5. THE ROLE OF DELLA
An eager young actress has her eye set on the role of Della, but can she convince a cold, sarcastic director that she's right for the part? A riveting and riotous look at the contemporary audition process, giving new meaning to the term "stealing a scene."
Writer: John Wooten (USA)
ITC: American School of Dubai
Directors: Gemma Jones, Shirley Thomson, Phil Ridley
Cast: Noor Chang (Elizabeth), Christina Azzi (Emma), TBD (Woman)
6. ANGELINA JOLIE IS STALKING ME
Angelina Jolie decides that it is time for some payback from her stalkers, and her target is an infertile couple. Will her presence help ignite their intimate life?
Writer: Stephanie Alison Walker (USA)
ITC: Dubai Drama Club
Director: DDC ensemble
Cast: Aaqeel Shariff (Colin), Apoorva Mehra (Malia), Nathalie Wehbe (Angelina Jolie)
7. CINDELLALA
“A new pair of shoes can change a girl’s life”, keeping the famous maxim of Cinderella’s story in mind; a middle class woman is out in the black market of Dubai to find a branded pair of shoes at a low price accompanied by a desperate shopkeeper in her journey.
Writer: Asad Raza Khan, Shafaq Zehra (Pakistan)
ITC: Tall Tales productions
Director: Asad Raza Khan & Shafaq Zehra
Cast: Neha Ajmal (cindellala), Saif khan (Shopkeeper) Sana Rizvi, Adnan Inayat and Areeba Khan (Singers, extras)
8. CHECKMATE
A harmless addiction or a passionate obsession? Penny likes to double check things!
Writer: Cerise De Gelder (Australia)
Director: Aradhita Basu
Cast: Aradhita Basu (Penny)
9. KINGDOM OF THE SPIDER
How far would you go to protect your children from the bad and from the good?
Writer: Nick Zagone (USA)
ITC: Dubai Drama Club
Director: DDC ensemble
Cast: Jeet Singh (Bob), Silvia Valentino (Black Widow), Ghada Al Khoury (Bible Girl)
10. THE ABYSS
Joseph, an airline pilot, is the lone survivor of a crash. After scraping by for 10 days, his co-pilot & friend (Gabriel) finally appears. But the Joseph Gabriel meets may not be the same Joseph he knew before the crash.
Writer: Akhil Kumar (INDIA)
ITC: H72 Productions
Director: Sid Abbas
Cast: Sid Abbas (Joseph), Ziyad Bangara (Gabriel)
WEEK 1 WILDCARDS (26TH JANUARY 3:30 PM)
PLAYS IN RUNING ORDER
1. THE PERKS OF BEING NICE!
Mr. Nice has been accused of, as his name suggests, being too nice. Two inspectors interrogate him and try to assimilate him into a society; where citizens are called ’Jerkfaces’. Do they succeed or does Mr. Nice prevail?
Writers: Daksh Tripathi, Siddhaarth Chakravarthy and Neeraj Nagarajan (India)
Director: Daksh Tripathi
ITC: Modern School Dubai
Cast: Daksh Tripathi (Nice), Stuti Sawhney (Terry), Siddhaarth Chakravarthy (Jerry), Neeraj Nagarajan (Hon'ble Jerk), Insia (Hon'ble Jerk)
2. THE TRAGEDY OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS
Pride took over intelligence, which brought Dr. Faustus to his knees however in vain. He thought, trading his soul and having his will came easy but in the end he lost both his pride and life.
Writer: Christopher Marlowe (UK)
ITC: GEMS New Millenium School
Directors: Divya Joyce and Stella Laus
Cast: Abbas (Dr Faustus), Gautam (Mephistophiles), Dane (Good Angel), Ranya (Lucifer), Sunhari (Bad Angel), Meera (Narrator)
3. PASSIVE SMOKERS
The story revolves around the plight of women working in beedi making (cigar rolling) factories and farms and their families.
Writer: Supriya and Milind Vinod ( India)
ITC: Sutradhar
Directors: Supriya and Milind
Cast: Dr.Pallavi Baratake(Elderly Women), Pravin Attardey ( Contractor) ,Nitesh Ghodake( Bride groom), Sadia Pathan(Bride)
4. WORK!
Two men fight for an upcoming promotion, only to begin to wonder how much they're willing to give up to climb the corporate ladder.
Writer: Mohamed Abid (Canada)
Director: Mohamed Abid
Cast: Ferris Elaraby (Johnny), Danyal Imraan Saleem (Boss), Mohamed Abid (Rob), Julia Bayoumi (Wife/Mother)
5. SPRITIUAL FRAUD
The story of a victim of racism and discrimination in his home land and imprisoned on an Island for life because he rejected the system, And now the life he is facing is an example of what happens when a men choose to stay rather than exile.
Writer: Xolisile W. Dolo (SA)
ITC: Mzansi Abroad
Director: Xolisile W. Dolo
Cast: Actor 1 (Xolisile W. Dolo)
6. PICK ME
A Dubaicentric job-hunting comedy.
Writer: Doug Mackay (UK)
Director: Sahajpal Oberoi
Cast: Pratik Bhatia (Neil Finlay), Bretta Bangera (Alexa Barantes), Nikhil Mittal (MM), Ryan D'Sa (Senior Manager), Shaina D'Souza (Mariam Harfoosh), Sonali Aswani (Poorvi Sen), Neilav SN (Anand Thomas), Sahajpal Oberoi (David Scales), Doug Mackay (Online CV template)
7. BLUE BENCH
An young boy sneaks backstage at dodgy travelling circus. He instead finds himself confronted by a haunting grotesque figure that will change his life forever, and learns the secrets of the BLUE BENCH.
Writer: Aleks Merilo (USA)
ITC: The Drama Galleries
Director: Asad Siddique
Cast: Aadi Patel (Youth), Benjamin Samuel (Faceless Man), Syed Shah Quadri (Ringmaster)
8. SOMETHING HAPPENED
You can run as far as you like, but the past still catches up. When Anthea's busy schedule is interrupted by a shocking incident she is forced to stop running and face the truth - as hard as that may be.
Writer: Alex Broun (Australia)
Director: Caroline Hamren
Cast: Caroline Hamren
9. TIMESAVERS
He was her first customer, and time was their only transaction. A give and take that no 'time' saw coming.
Writer: Barry Wood (UK)
ITC: MacGyvers & Co
Directors: Saloni Mehta and Aashna Khemani
Cast: Aditi Nath, Saloni Mehta
WEEK 2 TOP 50 (1ST & 2ND FEBRUARY 7:30 PM)
1. EXPIRY DATE
Jim is getting dressed for his wedding. He is suddenly greeted by an uninvited guest who wants him to change his mind. Would he take his advice or would he go through with the wedding?
Writer: Madhurima Ray (India)
ITC: Drama Galleries
Director: Sarfaraz Ahmed
Cast: Sikendar Hemani (Jim), Ahmad (Future Jim), Garima Himthani (Clara)
2. THE 6-DAY JOB
In the privacy of his therapist's office, the patient suffers an existential crisis stemming from his most renowned work.
Writer: Dan O'Day (USA)
ITC: Thinking Couch Productions
Director: Ryan D’sa
Cast: Nikhil Mittal (The Therapist), Ryan D’sa (The Patient)
3. ORPHEUS
Through an unfortunate turn of events, the fates of street-smart Quinn and idealistic farm-boy Silvio became inextricably linked. Will they be able to bridge their differences and overcome the enormous obstacles that life has presented them?
Writer: Arzoo Malhotra (USA)
Director: Arzoo Malhotra
Cast: Farzana Palathingal (Quinn), Hamza Merchant (Silvio), Rami Boraie (Bus Ticket Teller), Vikas Rajput (Station Attendant)
4. 15 SECONDS
Things take an interesting and fun turn when two people make eye contact for the first time.
Writer: Ken Levine (USA)
ITC: H72 Productions
Director: Monica Chatterjee
Cast: Monica Chatterjee (Laura), Piyush Harwani (Josh)
5. MUM HAD SAID
The sound, smell & scene; all are familiar. The cries of help too. World's getting louder, sadder & dirtier. Terror is in our face. Everyone's running, screaming. But, does there lay an escape? Tomorrow, it could be us in her shoes.
Writer: Purva Grover (India)
Director: Kripa Kotriwala
Cast: Kripa Kotriwala (Child), Rashmi Kotriwala, (Mother )
6. MORE THAN A HEADSTONE
What would do when you lose someone? Each one has his way of coping. But some will take it too far
Writer: Julie Johnston (Canada)
ITC: Dubai Drama Club
Director: DDC ensemble
Cast: Marija Gregoric (Tess), Jeet Dhindsa (Jim), Sadiya Kazmi (Penny), Dina el Sehrawi (Rose)
7. THE PANEL
An idealist, a cynic, an opportunist and a poet discuss women's issues on a talk show. What could possibly go wrong?
Writer: Najwa Yassir (Canada/Palestine)
Director: Najwa Yassir
Cast: Ashleigh Adonis (Cherry), Nourah Almaiman (Hala), Khalid Bilal (Kareem K), Assyl Yacine (Abes), Hani Yakan (Sameer).
8. PRECIPICE
Two colleagues hang out on the edge of a ledge. Apart from finding out they might be in love with each other, what else do they let slip?
Writer: Alex Dremman (AUSTRALIA)
ITC: South Parade
Director: Meghana Mundkur
Cast: Alina Islam (Sameera), Pranav Nasta (Arjun)
9. INDULGE ME
An angry, edgy teen having a bad day. A grumpy old cynical janitor whose perpetually rude and sarcastic. Both of them are free to leave the conversation at any point. Yet something holds them back.
Writer: Sid Abbas (UAE)
ITC: H72 Productions
Director: Roli Agrawal
Cast: Sid Abbas (Tony Brown), Soumya Mehta (Michelle Miller)
10. SAD AND GLAD
Jimmy loses his girl, but gains another
Writer: Neil Simon (USA)
ITC: American School of Dubai
Directors: Gemma Jones, Shirley Thomson, Phil Ridley
Cast: Jared Barney (Jimmy), Mayssa Mansour (Sandrine), Joelle Chalfoun (Villian)
WEEK 2 WILDCARDS (2ND FEBRUARY 3:30 PM)
1. THE MYSTICAL SELENA
A classic tale of a magicians rivalry, who will lose?
Writer: Amit Dhawan (India)
ITC: Heriot Watt Drama Club
Director: Amit Dhawan
Cast: Shifa Ahsan (Selena), Amit Dhawan (Derek), Anchala Prem (Angelica), Pavani (Bartender)
2. I LIKE CHOCOLATE... IS THAT SO BAD?
A group of addicts attending rehab to help tame their addiction and talk about their experiences in group therapy, "Chocoholics Anonymous".
Writer: Katie Lee (Australia)
ITC: Drama Galleries
Director: S. Aisha Atif
Cast: Prateek Suresh Devadiga (Josh), Ramzunsiha Andiyur (Leah), Syed Imad Quadri (Kevin), Niharika Chintakayal (Demi).
3. WHAT’S A LITTLE AXE BETWEEN FRIENDS
Just because your job is to execute someone it doesn't mean you can't be friends
Writer: Joe Starzyk (USA)
Director: Anna Yahn
Cast: Karan Sharma (Executioner) Majed AlZubaidi (Prisoner)
4. MATING
Love and Mating? There's no logic to these things. You meet someone and you fall in love and that's that.
Writer: Edith Weiss (USA)
Director: Saif Khan
Cast: Medhat Mustafa, Carine Bouery
5. INVISIBLE THREADS
Connections between people can run deep and it is so profound the extent we would go to for someone we love. We only truly appreciate this when all distractions of life are removed.
Writer: Zainab Mashoor (Sri-Lanka)
Director: Zainab Mashoor & Dilumi Dissanayake
Cast: Advait Kulkarni(Temba), Aadi Patel (Zamu), Iman Ameerzeb (Sage)
6. TO JUMP FROM A BURNING BUILDING
Sally is in a coma after being hit by a car. She has watched her life disintegrate over the past year and no longer wants to live.
Writer: Pete Malicki (Australia)
Director: Jithin George
Cast: Abhay Singh Chawan ( Kyle), Aradhita Basu (Sally's Conciousness), Emily Thomas (Leila), Hina Khan ( Comatose body) Xec Mohsin (Nurse)
7. SOUVENIR
An interrogation, where the leading question is not who the criminal is, but what is the crime that has been committed.
Writer: Siddharth Bala Kumar (India)
ITC: University of Wollongong in Dubai
Director: Siddharth Bala Kumar
Cast: Jainney Thakker (Marge), Karan Mehta (Nate), Arya Anil (Clarice D’Souza), Siddarth Shankar (Leonard)
8. KILLING ME SOFTY
When a normal day at restaurant brings out hostile memories from the past, how far would you go to delight them. It's pay back time. Revenge is a dish best served COLD
Director: Tabassum Inamdar Writer : Tabassum Inamdar (Indian)
Cast: Sandeep George (Customer), Sonal Bhatnagar (Waitress), Tabassum Inamdar (Cook)
9. THERE’S ONE BORN EVERY MINUTE
What do we mean by the term psychopath? We have probably all met psychopaths and perhaps still know some today. But can we identify them, and is it even possible that they recognise themselves in that way? We doubt it.
Writer: Chris McDermott (UK)
Director: Greg Lunn
Cast: Chris McDermott (George), Greg Lunn (Eric/George’s father/Reporter/Judge)
WEEK 3 TOP 50 (8TH & 9TH FEBRUARY 7:30 PM) - NON ENGLISH PLAYS
1. ESCURIAL
The story is about the extremely difficult relationship between the king and the jester. As the dying queen is agonizing, the two men, ignoring their ranks, face the crisis of their friendship. All this under the burden of the mourning.
Writer: Michel De Ghelderode (Belgium)
Language: Arabic
Director: Fady Zaky
Cast: Fady Zaky (The King), Mody (The Jester Folial), Samar (News Presenter/Ring Girl)
2. CHENDAMELAM
When the village of Perungotukkara decides to bring back a festival that had been on hold for a few years, a conflict arises as a female elephant is used as the festival mascot. Tensions flare, accusations are made and sides are taken.
Writer: Johny Johnson & Subin Samuel (India)
Language: Malayalam
Director: Subin Samuel
Cast: Rahul Johnson (Ramesh), Jovin George (Toby), Krishna Shankar (Chairman), Nithin Antony (President), Rashmi Nair (Jalaja), Roby Oommen (Velichapadu), Preveen Kumar (Businessman), Kavya Shine (Event Management Crew),
3. A KITE
An artist searching for answers in a competition knowing that crimes will be against the game. He searches for his freedom and decides to meet the audience before the competition starts asking "to act is to live? And to live is to act?"
Writer: Jihad Al Andary (Lebanon)
Language: Arabic
Director: Jihad Al Andary
Cast: Jihad Al Andary
4. URDU KI YAAD MEIN
"When Counselor Sahib struggles to write his first speech the lady “Urdu” tries teaching him grammar through various characters. What ensues is a funny yet poignant story of how the beautiful language is being underutilized and ruined in the present times."
Writer: Shafaq Zehra & M. Ali (Pakistan)
Language: Urdu
ITC: Szabist University
Director: Shafaq Zehra & M.Ali
Cast: Sania Saleem (urdu) Usama Zafar (Counselor sahib) Adnan Anayat (jama)Hanifa Arif (Wahid) Masood Gohar (Muzakar) Neha Ajmal and Faraz Hashim. (Ilfaz mutazad) Shafaq Zehra (Narrator)
5. TOBA TEK SINGH
A few years after the 1947 Indian partition, inmates of the mental asylums are to be exchanged as per the intellectuals of the society. There is confusion, laughter, tears and quest for a place called home. A satire by Manto.
Writer: Saadat Hasan Manto (Pakistani)
Language: Urdu
ITC: Dawn Theatre Productions
Director: Huda Bhaldar
Cast: Tabassum Inamdar (Narrator), Syed Siddique (Narrator), Benjamin Samuel (Bhishan Singh), Saif Khan, Rahul Taneja, Pratik Bhatia, Lavina Dudani, Mandeep Walia, Naveen Goveas, Mohsin Sheikh, Azaz Malik.
6. MAIN BHI
The story of a middle class family trying to survive, during difficult and hostile economical environment, all around. An alternate viewpoint on a recently focused social issue, under the effects of harsh realities of life.
Writer: Dr. Shailesh Upadhyay (India)
Language: Hindi
ITC: Theatrewallas
Director: Dr. Shailesh Upadhyay
Cast: Bhagyashree Chandan (Vani), Nidhi Rawal (Shanta Bai), Baby Aneri Rawal (Vacha), Vikram Sharma (Abbas), Pathik Dalal (Tej Pratap), Dinesh Balani (Tough Guy 1), Dushyant Barot (Tough Guy 2), Nilesh Patel (Tough Guy 3)
7. VIRTUAL REALITY
A story of every household, an old couple staying alone while their son stays abroad. The father attempts to create a VIRTUAL situation to console his wife. What awaits when REALITY clashes?
Writer: Pradipto Dutta (India)
Language: Bengali
Director: Pradipto Dutta & Shilpi Dutta
Cast: Anindya Chattopadhyay (Parimal), Koyeli Banerjee (Purnima), Pushan Sengupta (Asim), Lalpi Ghosh (Parul)
8. KALEIDOSCOPE
There are triggers for nostalgia. Anything that makes you travel back in a time machine. A mid aged woman stumbles upon one such thing. Like many different shapes through kaleidoscope her past unwinds taking us along down memory lane.
Writer: Prakash Kelkar (India)
Language: Marathi
Director: Nilesh Deshpande
Cast: Mugdha Dhomkar
9. TRIDHA
A manager of a very successful band is in love with three women of his band - lyricists, composer and the Singer. Unable to decide who is the most creative of the lot he seeks guidance from a spiritual guru. Will he get his answers?
Writer: Supriya and Milind Vinod (India)
Language: Marathi/Hindi/Urdu
Director: Supriya and Milind Vinod
Cast: Dr. Pallavi Baratakke(Varsha) Dr. Ketaki Wagh(Ketaki) Mallika Kilpady (Mallika), Shivraj Wagh (Meth),Pravin Atterday (Guru)
10. AAKHRI SAWARI
A perfect husband and father, tormented by a mysterious parcel he receives from an anonymous sender has to make a life-changing decision. He shares his problems with his cab driver who listens patiently and tries to help. What the cab driver offers changes both of their lives forever.
Writer: Divyajoth Singh (India)
Language: Hindi
ITC: Theatrewallas
Director: Prakash Soni
Cast: Prakash Soni (Passenger), Sunil Jasuja (Taxi Driver)
WEEK 3 WILDCARDS (9TH FEBRUARY 3:30 PM) - MIXED LANGUAGES PLAYS
1. BHEDIA
Mr. H has taken shelter in a magical tree that provides everything he desires he is however tired and bored and wants to go down. However under the tree is a dangerous wolf who is waiting down to eat him and he does not have the required courage to kill the wolf.
Writer: Farooq Sarwar (Pakistan)
Adapted by Prakash Soni
ITC: Theatrewallas
Director: Sunil Jasuja
Cast: Rahul Taneja
2. VIGILANTE
A mother has taken it upon herself to be the vigilante and she has good reasons for the same!
Writer: Paula Armstrong (Australia)
Language: English
Director: Huda Farid
Cast: Huda Farid
3. KEEPING ANNABELLE
A woman has been kidnapped and held captive in a dark basement. Only something has gone terribly wrong and her kidnapper is dangerously upset. A gripping dialogue between a kidnapper and a victim
Writer: Rachel Welsh (UK)
Language: English
ITC: H72 Productions
Director: H72 Ensemble
Cast: Monica Chatterjee (Victim), Somiya Mehta (Kidnapper)
4. AZADI
Imagine being born in paradise and losing your complete identity one day with nowhere to go. A tale of constant state of fear of human-mind living in a stateless world post aftermaths of war-torn nations.
Writer: Karan Sharma (India)
Language: Hindi
Director: Karan Sharma
Cast: Karan Sharma
5. SURAJ MERA DUSHMAN
Writer: Aisha Sheikh (Pakistan)
Language: Urdu
Director: Aisha Sheikh
Cast: Aisha Sheikah
6. DEDH INCH UPAR
A common man living a simple married life was arrested by the Gestapo police on charges of carrying illegal chits. After 15 years, sitting in a Bar he takes a swing in past and through many beautiful memories, still searching answers.
Writer: Nirmal Verma (India)
Adapted by Prakash Soni
ITC: Theatrewallas
Director: Rahul Taneja
Cast: Sunil Jasuja
7. BLANK SLATE
Two strangers clash at an art exhibition.
Writer: Daliya Habib (British-Pakistani)
Language: English
Director: Daliya Habib
Cast: Kasia Truscott (Samantha), Kristian Kolandjian (Dante)
8. ONE QUICK KISS
Were the 30 pieces of silver worth the life of an innocent man? Judas logs his final confession to the people for the terrible deed he has committed.
Writer: Shekinah Jacob (New Zealand)
Language: English
ITC: H72 Productions
Director: Rohit Prakash
Cast: Rohit Prakash
9. MAIN IK SHEHAR HOON
I am a street with no inhabitants. An exile with no beginning or end.
A home to the homeless. A path to the pathless.
A once upon a time to a happily ever after.
I am Life that lived making a living for all, but never once was I ever touched. Seen. Felt. Perhaps, I don't exist?
Writer: Durdana Farid (Pakistan)
Language: Urdu
Director: Lakshmn Rao
Cast: Lakshmn Rao
10. SUBHANRAO CHE SAIRAT
A landlord “Subhanrao” hilariously explains his experience to his villager’s friends after watching record-breaking Marathi movie “Sairat”.
Writer: Nilesh Ghodke(India)
Language: Marathi
ITC: Sutradhar
Director: Nilesh Ghodke
Cast: Nilesh Ghodke
WEEK 4 TOP 50 (15TH & 16TH FEBRUARY 7:30 PM)
1. A GAME OF KNIGHTS
American detective fiction authors Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler meet TV novelist Jessica Fletcher in a bar late at night to discuss the state of writing in America.
Writer: Mattie Haag (USA)
Director: Robert Haag
Cast: Sarah Potter (Jessica Fletcher), Farouk Bilbeisi (Raymond Chandler), Robert Haag (Dashiell Hammett)
2. WALLS
An abstract look at generational barriers.
Writer: Lindsay Price (Canada)
ITC: American School of Dubai
Directors: Gemma Jones, Shirley Thompson, Phil Ridley
Cast: Andrew Kim (James), Amina Elmasry (Joan), Leya Samhoun (Jane), Joshua Antero (Jamie)
3. CUTTING TIES
The choices you make will change the lives of these five people. Good, bad, right wrong...it is all in your hands. What will you choose?
Writer: Shanthanu V. (India)
ITC: AndWeAre
Director: Jesika Modi
Cast: Matthew Barros (Jason), Janine Fernandes (Rhea), Shanthanu Venugopal (Narrator), Sarah Barros(Sanya), Amrit Iyer (Rishi)
4. RED IS THE BLOOD OF THE PEOPLE
A piece of Malaysia’s nation-building history, Red is the Blood of the People is an attempt to reopen the wounds of colonial trauma, to make sense of how power continues to operate in historical narratives, and to understand, as descendants of colonized bodies, why the ghosts of our ancestors will continue to haunt us.
Writer: Tzy Jiun Tan (Malaysia)
ITC: The Collective
Director: Ethan David Lee
Cast: Lily Khamizan (Ensemble), Jamie Gabrielle Uy (Ensemble), Ming Ee Tham (Ensemble)
5. I REMEMBER YOU
1 room, 2 strangers. How did they get here? What’s their story? Should they be this vulnerable with each other?
Writer: Johnny Sumelj, Australia
Director: Shreya Maheshwari
Cast: Dharam Veer Sood(Max), Mira Shah (Annabelle) Charmaine D’souza (Cameo)
6. SHAKESPEARE – A TOTALLY MODERN TEENAGER
The thought of studying Romeo and Juliet was daunting for Miss Noris’ middle-graders but with a bit of imagination, using their favourite film characters, the students find a way to spice up the play in unusual ways.
Writer: Ellen Abraham-Williams (UK)
ITC: Raha Interntional School.
Director: Baran Basimi
Cast: Adam Aly (Louis/Friar Lawrence), Grace Robinson (student/Juliet), Viri Pineiro (student/Juliet), Renata Sultangareeva (Mia), Zain Khan (Tyler/Paris), Advait Arya (student/Romeo), Amy Cooper (Miss Noris), Lara Saleh (Julz/Juliet), Ibrahim Rostron (Peter/Paris), Mohammed AlHammadi (student/Romeo)
7. PETTY CRIMES
Amber and troy are enjoying a good meal on the job; one of them has an important Qs to ask but their job gets in the way.
Writer: Albert Jamae (Australia)
ITC: H72 Productions
Director: Dee Gee
Cast: Dee Gee (Troy), Farzana Palathingal (Amber)
8. MONET MONET MONET
When a Monet goes missing from an art gallery wall, police question a mysterious woman in pink caught on surveillance video. But is what they see the truth or just an impression of it?
Writer: Paulene Turner (Australia)
ITC: Drama Galleries
Director: Sikendar Hemani
Assistant Director: Zahra Patanwala
Cast: Cambell Tennis (SGT BODIE CORRIGON ), Gabriela Loana (VYETTE MYRES), Vaishali Balgu (Constable MIA SPENCER) ,Shriya Anup (Lady in pink) ,Sarfaraz Ahmad (Security)
9. THE NEXT STATION IS…
When stuck between the confines of life and art; remember "The stage is not merely the meeting place of all the arts, but is also the return of art to life". Oscar Wilde
Writer: Nourah Almaiman (KSA/USA)
ITC: Nabratuha Productions
Director: Nourah Almaiman
Cast: Sai Lakshmi (Passenger 1), Pahal Samyani (Passenger 2), Richa Anand Nigam (Passenger 3), Yasmien Mahmoud Ibrahim (Passenger 4), Ashleigh Adonis (Passenger 5), Sunetra Gupta (Passenger 6), Chineme Prince (Passenger 7), Nourah Almaiman (Passenger 9), Xolisile Dolo (Passenger 10)
10. LIFE
(Improvised)
A fully improvised play in real time bringing the drama of everyday life to stage. The story, characters and location are all improvised on the spot based on audience suggestions.
Writer: Ensemble (Improvised)
ITC: The Human Lab
Director: Naser Al Sughaiyer
Cast: Gauri Chadha, Osama Farooqui, Ahmed Al-Fadil (No pre-planned characters, all improvised)
WEEK 4 WILDCARDS (16TH FEBRUARY 3:30 PM)
1. A WHITE CHRISTMAS
A family Christmas dinner does not go as planned as Luke tries to fix something with a help of a little magic powder.
Writer: Anchala Prem (India)
ITC: Heriot Watt Drama Club
Director: Anchala Prem
Cast: Amit Dhawan (Luke), Niharika Chintakayal (Alex), Tania Patel (Selena), Shifa Ahsan (Nikki), Lionel Mendonsa (Phil), Layba Syed (Violet).
2. MIND GAMES
A troubled man must face the demons of his past once and for all.
Writer: Lee Cordner(UK)
ITC: Paribhasha(Bits Pilani Dubai Campus)
Director:Zaid Aftab
Cast: Zaid Aftab(John),Paridhi Garg(Sharon)
3. PROJECT DEFECTUS
Four school kids visiting a scientist’s laboratory discover his secret dystopian project. Will the kids outsmart a devious man bent on trampling humanity or become victims of his machinations?
Writer: Tvisha Mehra (India)
Director: Tvisha Mehra
Cast: Dr Atmosphere ( Amit Ghosh ), Daisy (Pahal Samyani), Myra (Nandini Bhattacharya),Aidan (Aaditya Gandhi ), Zach (Aryan Anand) ,Guard ( Hrishikesh Kalyanaraman)
4. ONCE UPON A TIME
Seemingly mature Jack & Jill, irked by everyday problems of their fantasy land contemplate on finding solutions for themselves and for their friend Simple Simon.
Writer: Joe Bergin (Ireland)
Director: Chineme Prince, Hamza Merchant
Cast: Sunetra Gupta (Jill) , Hamza Merchant (Jack) , Chineme Prince (Simon)
5. FAIRIES
Cutting a fairy tree would bring bad luck they said. But her family never did cut any. Then why did her mommy go?
Writer: Adam Szudrich (Australia)
Director: Anushka Agarwal
Cast: Anushka Agarwal
6. TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE
It is a normal day for Gert, the teller, at The One Horse Town Bank. A masked man enters to rob the bank but he is not prepared for the obstinacy and inflexibility of the bank employee.
Writer: Corey Case (USA)
Director: Viji Sashikant
Cast: Viji Shashikant (Gert), Pushan Sengupta (Stan), Hitesh Tailor (Tom)
7. FAVORS
So if the husband and the best friend ride the wave, should the wife/best friend pay for the favor?
Writer: Julianne Homokay (USA)
ITC: Dubai Drama Club
Director: DDC group directing
Cast: Sadiya Kazmi (Pennie), Soni Chhabra (Allison)
8. A WOMB WITH A VIEW
It was time for yet another new kid to leave to her nest; but will she ever be prepared for what lies ahead? A story of a womb, from a different view.
Writer: Rich Orloff (USA)
ITC: MacGyvers and Co.
Director: Aditi Nath
Cast: Mira Dabhi (Supervisor), Joanna Sequeira (New Kid), Vidhi Bali (Assistant A), Aashna Khemani (Technician) & Aditi Nath (Assistant B)
9.
THE INTERROGATION ROOM
Set in a not-so-distant dystopian future, an investigative journalist, Raymond, finds himself lost in a quagmire of political intrigue as he is interrogated by the seasoned Officer Becket.
Writer: Sheldon John Dias (India)
Director: Sheldon John Dias
Music: David McCrahan
Cast: Eben Thomas (Officer S. Becket), Ron Thomas (Raymond Williams), Angeleena Joy (Mercy)
10. IT’S (NOT) MY BIRTHDAY
Writer: Andrea Fergon (Country?)
Director: Andrea Fergon
Cast: Andrea Fergon
WEEK 5 TOP 50 (22ND & 23RD FEBRUARY 7:30 PM)
WEEK 5 WILDCARDS (23RD FEBRUARY 3:30 PM)
PEOPLE'S CHOICE SEMI FINALS (1ST MARCH - 3:30 PM & 7:30 PM
PLAYS NOT IN RUNNING ORDER
CINDELLALA (Winner Top 50 Week 1)
“A new pair of shoes can change a girl’s life”, keeping the famous maxim of Cinderella’s story in mind; a middle class woman is out in the black market of Dubai to find a branded pair of shoes at a low price accompanied by a desperate shopkeeper in her journey.
Writer: Asad Raza Khan, Shafaq Zehra (Pakistan)
ITC: Tall Tales productions
Director: Asad Raza Khan & Shafaq Zehra
Cast: Neha Ajmal (cindellala), Saif khan (Shopkeeper) Sana Rizvi, Adnan Inayat and Areeba Khan (Singers, extras)
PASSIVE SMOKERS (Winner Wildcards Week 1)
The story revolves around the plight of women working in beedi making (cigar rolling) factories and farms and their families.
Writer: Supriya and Milind Vinod ( India)
ITC: Sutradhar
Directors: Supriya and Milind
Cast: Dr.Pallavi Baratake(Elderly Women), Pravin Attardey ( Contractor) ,Nitesh Ghodake( Bride groom), Sadia Pathan(Bride)
MUM HAD SAID (Winner Top 50 Week 2)
The sound, smell & scene; all are familiar. The cries of help too. World's getting louder, sadder & dirtier. Terror is in our face. Everyone's running, screaming. But, does there lay an escape? Tomorrow, it could be us in her shoes.
Writer: Purva Grover (India)
Director: Kripa Kotriwala
Cast: Kripa Kotriwala (Child), Rashmi Kotriwala, (Mother )
INVISIBLE THREADS (Winner Wildcards Week 2)
Connections between people can run deep and it is so profound the extent we would go to for someone we love. We only truly appreciate this when all distractions of life are removed.
Writer: Zainab Mashoor (Sri-Lanka)
Director: Zainab Mashoor & Dilumi Dissanayake
Cast: Advait Kulkarni(Temba), Aadi Patel (Zamu), Iman Ameerzeb (Sage)
URDU KI YAAD MEIN (Winner Top 50 Week 3)
"When Counselor Sahib struggles to write his first speech the lady “Urdu” tries teaching him grammar through various characters. What ensues is a funny yet poignant story of how the beautiful language is being underutilized and ruined in the present times."
Writer: Shafaq Zehra & M. Ali (Pakistan)
Language: Urdu
ITC: Szabist University
Director: Shafaq Zehra & M.Ali
Cast: Sania Saleem (urdu) Usama Zafar (Counselor sahib) Adnan Anayat (jama)Hanifa Arif (Wahid) Masood Gohar (Muzakar) Neha Ajmal and Faraz Hashim. (Ilfaz mutazad) Shafaq Zehra (Narrator)
BLANK SLATE (Winner Wildcards Week 3)
Two strangers clash at an art exhibition.
Writer: Daliya Habib (British-Pakistani)
Language: English
Director: Daliya Habib
Cast: Kasia Truscott (Samantha), Kristian Kolandjian (Dante)
SHAKESPEARE – A TOTALLY MODERN TEENAGER (Winner Top 50 Week 4)
The thought of studying Romeo and Juliet was daunting for Miss Noris’ middle-graders but with a bit of imagination, using their favourite film characters, the students find a way to spice up the play in unusual ways.
Writer: Ellen Abraham-Williams (UK)
ITC: Raha International School.
Director: Baran Basimi
Cast: Adam Aly (Louis/Friar Lawrence), Grace Robinson (student/Juliet), Viri Pineiro (student/Juliet), Renata Sultangareeva (Mia), Zain Khan (Tyler/Paris), Advait Arya (student/Romeo), Amy Cooper (Miss Noris), Lara Saleh (Julz/Juliet), Ibrahim Rostron (Peter/Paris), Mohammed AlHammadi (student/Romeo)
FAVORS (Winner Wildcards Week 4)
So if the husband and the best friend ride the wave, should the wife/best friend pay for the favor?
Writer: Julianne Homokay (USA)
ITC: Dubai Drama Club
Director: DDC group directing
Cast: Sadiya Kazmi (Pennie), Soni Chhabra (Allison)
JUDGE'S CHOICE SEMI FINALS (2ND MARCH - 3:30 PM & 7:30 PM)
PLAYS NOT IN RUNNING ORDER
CHECKMATE (Runner Up Top 50 Week 1)
A harmless addiction or a passionate obsession? Penny likes to double check things!
Writer: Cerise De Gelder (Australia)
Director: Aradhita Basu
Cast: Aradhita Basu (Penny)
TIMESAVERS (Winner Wildcards Week 1)
He was her first customer, and time was their only transaction. A give and take that no 'time' saw coming.
Writer: Barry Wood (UK)
ITC: MacGyvers & Co
Directors: Saloni Mehta and Aashna Khemani
Cast: Aditi Nath, Saloni Mehta
INDULGE ME (Runner Up Top 50 Week 2)
An angry, edgy teen having a bad day. A grumpy old cynical janitor whose perpetually rude and sarcastic. Both of them are free to leave the conversation at any point. Yet something holds them back.
Writer: Sid Abbas (UAE)
ITC: H72 Productions
Director: Roli Agrawal
Cast: Sid Abbas (Tony Brown), Soumya Mehta (Michelle Miller)
WHAT’S A LITTLE AXE BETWEEN FRIENDS (Winner Wildcards Week 2)
Just because your job is to execute someone it doesn't mean you can't be friends
Writer: Joe Starzyk (USA)
Director: Anna Yahn
Cast: Karan Sharma (Executioner) Majed AlZubaidi (Prisoner)
KALEIDOSCOPE (Runner Up Top 50 Week 3)
There are triggers for nostalgia. Anything that makes you travel back in a time machine. A mid aged woman stumbles upon one such thing. Like many different shapes through kaleidoscope her past unwinds taking us along down memory lane.
Writer: Prakash Kelkar (India)
Language: Marathi
Director: Nilesh Deshpande
Cast: Mugdha Dhomkar
KEEPING ANNABELLE (Winner Wildcards Week 3)
A woman has been kidnapped and held captive in a dark basement. Only something has gone terribly wrong and her kidnapper is dangerously upset. A gripping dialogue between a kidnapper and a victim
Writer: Rachel Welsh (UK)
Language: English
ITC: H72 Productions
Director: H72 Ensemble
Cast: Monica Chatterjee (Victim), Somiya Mehta (Kidnapper)
DEDH INCH UPAR (Winner Wildcards Week 3)
A common man living a simple married life was arrested by the Gestapo police on charges of carrying illegal chits. After 15 years, sitting in a Bar he takes a swing in past and through many beautiful memories, still searching answers.
Writer: Nirmal Verma (India)
Adapted by Prakash Soni
ITC: Theatrewallas
Director: Rahul Taneja
Cast: Sunil Jasuja
RED IS THE BLOOD OF THE PEOPLE (Runner Up Top 50 Week 4)
A piece of Malaysia’s nation-building history, Red is the Blood of the People is an attempt to reopen the wounds of colonial trauma, to make sense of how power continues to operate in historical narratives and to understand, as descendants of colonized bodies, why the ghosts of our ancestors will continue to haunt us.
Writer: Tzy Jiun Tan (Malaysia)
ITC: The Collective
Director: Ethan David Lee
Cast: Lily Khamizan (Ensemble), Jamie Gabrielle Uy (Ensemble), Ming Ee Tham (Ensemble)
ONCE UPON A TIME (Winner Wildcards Week 4)
Seemingly mature Jack & Jill, irked by everyday problems of their fantasy land contemplate on finding solutions for themselves and for their friend Simple Simon.
Writer: Joe Bergin (Ireland)
Director: Chineme Prince, Hamza Merchant
Cast: Sunetra Gupta (Jill), Hamza Merchant (Jack), Chineme Prince (Simon)
GALA FINALS (7TH, 8TH & 9TH MARCH AT 7:30 PM)
PLAYS NOT IN RUNING ORDER
THE ROLE OF DELLA (Winner Top 50 Week 1)
An eager young actress has her eye set on the role of Della, but can she convince a cold, sarcastic director that she's right for the part? A riveting and riotous look at the contemporary audition process, giving new meaning to the term "stealing a scene."
Writer: John Wooten (USA)
ITC: American School of Dubai
Directors: Gemma Jones, Shirley Thomson, Phil Ridley
Cast: Noor Chang (Elizabeth), Christina Azzi (Emma), TBD (Woman)
THE PANEL (Winner Top 50 Week 2)
An idealist, a cynic, an opportunist and a poet discuss women's issues on a talk show. What could possibly go wrong?
Writer: Najwa Yassir (Canada/Palestine)
Director: Najwa Yassir
Cast: Ashleigh Adonis (Cherry), Nourah Almaiman (Hala), Khalid Bilal (Kareem K), Assyl Yacine (Abes), Hani Yakan (Sameer).
A KITE
An artist searching for answers in a competition knowing that crimes will be against the game. He searches for his freedom and decides to meet the audience before the competition starts asking "to act is to live? And to live is to act?"
Writer: Jihad Al Andary (Lebanon)
Language: Arabic
Director: Jihad Al Andary
Cast: Jihad Al Andary
PETTY CRIMES
Amber and troy are enjoying a good meal on the job; one of them has an important Qs to ask but their job gets in the way.
Writer: Albert Jamae (Australia)
ITC: H72 Productions
Director: Dee Gee
Cast: Dee Gee (Troy), Farzana Palathingal (Amber)