KUCHING: A total of seven local theatre groups comprising 136 participants took part in “Sarawak Theatre Festival or Festival Teater Sarawak (FTS) 2017” to represent Sarawak at the national level.
The winning group will represent the state for the Malaysian Theater Festival or “Festival Teater Malaysia” (FTM) to be held next year.
The FTS 2017 is well known as a field to highlight great works besides, discovering new generation talents in acting, directing and production through their direct involvement in this competition.
Held from 7 until 17 September at Balai Budaya DBP with no entrance fee, the Festival is organised by the state National Department of Culture and Arts (JKKN) in collaboration with Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Sarawak Branch in conjunction with “Bulan Bahasa Kebangsaan” celebration.
This year, the Festival still retains a cash prize of RM2,500 with certificates and trophy to the champion group.
Meanwhile, second and third places will bring home RM2,000 cash with certificates and trophy, and RM1,500 with certificates and trophy respectively.
Other prizes offered are Best Directors (RM1,000); Best Technical (RM800); Best Male/Female Actor (RM500) and Best Male/Female Supporting Actor (RM300). All prize categories are complimentary with certificates and trophies.
In addition, all contesting groups will receive a cash prize of RM500 along with a certificate.
Present to officiate at the Festival at Balai Budaya DBP in Petra Jaya here on Thursday night was Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
Karim in his welcoming address said, this Festival is a great foundation for the continuation of the excellence of theatre groups in Sarawak that have outperformed the others at national level before.
“FTS 2017 is aimed at providing space to theatre groups in the state to demonstrate and improve the quality of theater performances especially for the contesting groups.
“We also look forward to see the evolving of theatre in Sarawak with the establishment of Centre of Performing Arts at the old State Legislative Assembly (DUN) complex which will begin renovation by end of this year,” he said.
The FTS 2017 which started on Thursday night, began with an inaugural appearance of Perfilem Sarawak group through a staging titled “Diari Seorang Ibu”.
In addition to theater performances, the organisers also provide side activities such as theater workshops, exhibitions and sales of cultural art products.
Also present at the event were Karim’s wife Datin Zuraini Abdul Jabbar, Assistant Minister of Corporate Affairs Abdullah Saidol and state JKKN Director Abdul Mutalib Abdul Rahman.
