Sundance Institute to Hold Their First Ever Theatre Lab in the MENA Region

As part of the Sundance Institute’s recent initiative to promote cross-cultural exchange among independent artists from all over the world, the organisation is all set to hold its very first Theatre Lab in the MENA region this May.

The participating acting company, dramaturgs, and creative advisors involved in the three-week New Play Development Lab have been revealed in a press release issued by the Institute on April 11th, and they include Grey’s Anatomy’s Sandra Oh, The King and I​’s Hoon Lee, Deanna Dunagan, Hala Omran, and ​Raeda Taha​.  

The Theatre Lab is usually held in Utah, but this year it will take place in Morocco under the supervision of the institute’s Artistic Director Philip Himberg and Producing Director Christopher Hibma, led by Middle East/North Africa Manager Jumana Al-Yasiri. This edition of Theatre Lab will see participating artists from Australia, Belgium, France, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Syria, Uganda, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Throughout the Theatre Lab’s duration, artists will be developing new work for the theatre. US creative advisors, dramaturgs, and actors will be providing emerging theatre artists with professional and artistic guidance, as well as developing their works in an environment conducive to artistic collaboration. At the end of the three weeks, artists will receive feedback on the final forms of their projects. 

Sundance Institute was founded in 1981 by Oscar-winning actor Robert Redford as a nonprofit organisation to support independent film and theatre artists by providing them with spaces, mentorship, and granting to develop new work and create dedicated communities. The institute’s labs have taken place in the US and beyond. Sundance Institute has supported projects like Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Sin Nombre, The Invisible War, The Square, Dirty Wars, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, and Fun Home. 

Find out more about this year's Theatre Lab here.

(Picture: scene from Broadway musical 'Fun Home')