Deputy American Ambassador to ET: we are working hand in hand with our Egyptian partners

CAIRO – 15 September 2019: The 26th edition of Cairo International Festival for Contemporary and Experimental Theatre (CIFCET) kicked off on Tuesday, Sept. 10 with a comprehensive program.

The festival's opening witnessed the display of the American musical"The Fantasticks" following a ceremony that was held at the Main Hall of the Cairo Opera House.

The United States of America was chosen as the guest of honor of this important theatre festival.

Deputy American Ambassador in Egypt Dorothy Shea told Egypt Today that the embassy is thrilled and honoured to be the guest of honour of such an important festival and to share some of the American theatrical experiences with the Egyptian theatre community through"The Fantasticks"and another more experimental and edgy performance, in addition to workshops, interactions and discussions.

"We have great confidence in the ability of arts to transcend whatever differences that might be between us, eliminate whateverdivides us and help us to understand one another better; that’s my statement," Shea added.

Shea added that the opening play"The Fantasticks"is a good play and tells a love story, adding thatthe other show is going to be performed September 17,18.

"We are very interested in supporting youth theatrical troupes and plays, not only successful, famous plays," Shea stressed.

"Art is the core of so many things such as mutual understanding.It can be such a powerful tool. I don’t want to say that art in Egypt yesterday wasn’t as good as it is today but art is evolving in Egypt now. I think it is very interesting to use theatre as a way to communicate, and understand what the challenges and opportunities are in a society and explore them in a way that might not be factual or based on newspaper account, but rather through interpretive understanding of human dynamics;this kind of things transcend anyone's nationality,"Shea explained.

The American Embassy in Egypt as recounted by Shea wants to be super active and they are so glad to have so many partners.

"In the CIFCET, we are partnering with the Ministry of Culture, Cairo Opera House and the theatre festival organisers. We are also partnering with the Ministry of Antiquities and with universities. A press release will come out soon about seniors of excellence in universities to help graduates make themselves presentable to find suitable jobs in the marketplace, so there are so many areas where we can work cooperatively to capitalize our shared values and common vision. We want Egypt to make progress whether artistically or in the professional field; we are working hand in hand with our Egyptian partners," Shea stated.

Shea referred that watching an Egyptian play was one of the first things she did when she first arrived in Egypt in 2017.

The play was part of a festival at the Falaki Theater and it was facilitated by the US Embassy as two playwrights from New York city were visiting to work with Egyptian playwrights to put on their production.