Theatre-related publishing rarely makes the news, so I was delighted to see this story emerge from Jordan.
Cultural Partnership Aims to Revitalise Amateur Theatre Across the Kingdom
Jordan’s Ministry of Culture has taken a significant step towards enhancing the nation’s theatrical landscape through a new partnership with the Arab Theatre Authority (ATA).
Culture Minister Mustafa Rawashdeh and ATA Secretary-General Ismail Abdullah recently signed a memorandum of understanding at Amman’s Royal Cultural Centre, establishing a framework for theatrical development with a focus on youth and amateur performers.
Building on Rich Theatrical Heritage
The agreement acknowledges Jordan’s deep theatrical roots, which Minister Rawashdeh traced from ancient amphitheatres in Jerash, Umm Qais, Amman and Petra through to modern developments beginning with Ruks bin Zayed Al-Azizi in the early 20th century. This rich heritage will serve as the foundation for future growth under the new initiative.
National Training Programme
At the heart of the MoU is the establishment of a national core team of theatre trainers specifically focused on developing youth and amateur theatre throughout Jordan. The programme will implement structured training courses built on “solid scientific grounds” to enhance participants’ talents and theatrical skills.
Minister Rawashdeh emphasised that the initiative aims to create a replicable model that could potentially be adopted by other Arab nations, positioning Jordan as a regional leader in theatrical development.
Cultural Infrastructure Enhancement
The agreement will directly benefit Jordan’s existing cultural infrastructure, with plans to invigorate theatrical activities across the Kingdom’s cultural directorates and centres. This strategic approach seeks to strengthen grassroots participation while developing professional standards.
The View From The Beach
Theatre-related publishing rarely makes the news, so I was delighted to see this story emerge from Jordan.
While TV and film have largely overshadowed theatre as a career option for wannabe-actors and wannabe playwrights alike, still theatre has its unique elements that make it as much a joy to write as to watch.
Many years back I dabbled in both theatre and TV writing, and while I love the new opportunities screen-writers have with deep-pocketed TV streaming companies, still I look back fondly on my theatre days.
It was while here in The Gambia researching my last play, back in 2006, to mark the bicentenary of the Britain’s abolition of the slave-trade (2007), that I began preparations to move here full-time, with the fanciful idea I could sit by the beach writing my next bestseller.
Now I write TNPS and run a school, and the beach, while close, is rarely seen.
This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.
