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RIYADH: The fourth phase of the “School Theater” initiative has been launched in the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Part of a strategic partnership between the ministries of education and culture and implemented by the Theater and Performing Arts Commission, the initiative aims to train 25,540 teachers, both male and female, in 19,647 public schools in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Abha and Tabuk.

At the end of the training program, a competition will be hosted in which the best 1,000 plays will be awarded financial prizes totaling SR3 million ($800,000).

The initiative, launched last year in cooperation with Monash University in Australia, seeks to develop the country’s theater arts.

From October 2022, a five-stage plan was initiated to achieve a number of objectives, with the program due to be completed in December 2024.

In its first three phases, it focused on training participants through an intensive two-week program, followed by virtual guidance sessions, a week of face-to-face training, and a final week for school support visits.

The acting-based program will focus not only on performance but also on all the elements that bring a play to life, such as scriptwriting and development, lighting techniques, costume design, hair and makeup, audience engagement, vocal lessons and sound design.