TOP 30 - WEEK 1
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!)
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
Dawntime 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)
Director: Cris Mejia
Assistant Director: Chris McDermott
Technical Support: Kalyan Chakravarthy
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
Backstage: Sunil Jasuja
Light & Sound: Jimish Thakkar
Music: Dr. Dre
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)
WILDCARDS - WEEK 1
DATE: Saturday February 7th at 2.30pm
VENUE: Kilachand Theatre, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates
(PLEASE NOTE - PLAYS ARE NOT LISTED IN ORDER!)
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 Majgaonkar (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
What happens if a boss let 'KAT' look after 2 goldfish? Come and watch our play!
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
Please fasten your seat belts as we will be changing the world at 220kmph!
Writer: Adam Gelin (Australia)
Director: Chandni Varma
Presented by: Backstage
Cast: Rohit Prakash (Roger Johnson), Chandni Varma (Susan Johnson)
Lights + Sound: Quimelle Icay
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
Dialect consultants: Ruqya Khan, 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 TEN 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
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: Aishwarya Shivkumar 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.
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: Rakhi Sharma)
Director: Prakash Soni
Presented by Theatrewallahs productions.
Music: Rohan Utpat and Vinayak.
Singer: Ishita Chaturvedi.
Lyrics: Pranjal Choudhary
Music Operation: Lakshman Rao
Lights: Prakash Soni
Cast: Rakhi 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)
TOP 30 - WEEK 2
DATES: Friday February 13th & Saturday February 14th at 7.30pm
VENUE: Kilachand Theatre, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates
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)
WILDCARDS - WEEK 2
DATE: Saturday February 14th at 2.30pm
VENUE: Kilachand Theatre, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates
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)
TOP 30 - WEEK 3
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!)
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)
WILDCARDS - WEEK 3
DATE: Saturday February 21st at 2.30pm
VENUE: Kilachand Theatre, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates
(PLEASE NOTE - PLAYS ARE NOT LISTED IN ORDER!)
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 (Patricia)
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
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)
RED CARPET GALA FINAL
(GALA FINAL PREVIEW: Friday February 27th at 7.30pm)
DATE: Saturday February 28th at 7.30pm
VENUE: Kilachand Theatre, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates
The best 11 productions of the Festival as chosen by our audience and judges from the three weeks of Top 30 and Wildcards.