Emirates children’s theatre festival honours Abdullah Rashid

December 17, 2025 / 11:48 AM

Sharjah24: Under the generous patronage and support of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and organised by the Theatrical Association, the 19th Emirates Children’s Theatre Festival will open on 21 December and continue until 27 December. The festival will feature seven local theatrical productions created to suit children’s tastes and reflect the advanced level reached by Emirati children’s theatre.

Festival personality

The festival’s Higher Organising Committee has selected veteran Emirati artist Abdullah Rashid as the Festival Personality for this edition, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to theatre in general and children’s theatre in particular over a career spanning more than four decades.

Career highlights and recognition

Rashid has participated in numerous children’s plays as an actor, supervisor and administrator, including The Coast and the Genie of the Lamp (2002), The Kind Farmer (2010), Journey of Knowledge (2011) and I Am Alone (2012). He has also served on the festival’s organising, selection and judging committees. In adult theatre, his career began in the 1980s, earning him multiple acting awards and honours at Sharjah Theatre Days, Carthage Theatre Days and the Sharm El Sheikh International Festival for Youth Theatre.

Jury and competing productions

The jury comprises Walid Al Zaabi, Ibrahim Salem, Mohammed Saeed Al Salti, Abdulrahman Al Mulla and Mohammed Juma Ali. Competing productions include The Wooden Boy (Sharjah National Theatre), Innovation Village (Ras Al Khaimah National Theatre), The Secret of the Blue Neighbourhood (Dubai National Theatre), Amoona and the Ring (Fujairah Theatre), Let’s Start the Final Game (Dibba Association for Culture, Arts and Theatre), and The Kingdom of Elira (Khorfakkan Theatre for the Arts).

Closing performance and regional tour

The festival will conclude on 27 December with the guest performance The Empty Frame, produced by members of Rubu’ Qarn Centre for Theatre and Performing Arts, part of the Rubu’ Qarn for Creating Future Leaders and Innovators in Sharjah. Following this, the productions will move to Khorfakkan from 28 December until 2 January 2026, allowing audiences in the Eastern Region to enjoy the performances.