Why Theatre? | Who are we? | Artistic Team
Why Theatre?
The importance of arts in society is undeniable, it communicates across all cultures, tells the stories of the past and present, and inspires minds, both young and old, to do beautiful things.
Pablo Picasso once said, "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."
Local community must recognize the invaluable impression an education rich in the arts can make on a young mind. The arts have proven to keep children in school, provide motivation and help children better understand the world in which they live.
"You’re never too young to discover the magic of live theatre”
The Herald
As a specialized Palestinian NGO that promotes and develops the performing arts for children and young people, Yes Theatre (YT) has a particular interest in how theatre and drama can positively impact on children and young people’s lives, especially under the current conditions which can be described as very bad conditions at all the levels.
YT believes in the power of theatre and drama to enrich children’s and young people's lives, their understanding of their local heritage and culture, and to create a nation of confident and responsible citizens who contribute to the success of their communities and to Palestine as a whole. As a result, YT has developed its projects and programs in order to be considered as an innovative initiative which aims to offer Palestinian children and young people, families and teachers, a regular access to discover and to have a diverse range of high quality performing arts activity (theatre and Drama) from home, which will entertain, enrich, teach and inspire them.
Who are we?
The founding member of Yes Theatre (YT) have 11 years of Experience working with Theatre Day Productions (TDP) in implementing drama and theatre projects and programs with youth inside and outside schools, in cooperation with the Palestinian Ministry of Education, UNRWA and with other regional bodies in the Hebron Governorate.
In 2007, TDP decided that operations in Hebron were ready to be phased out and that a new NGO should be established which would take over the work. Throughout 2007, TDPs Executive Committee and the five founding members (three experts in the artistic fields and two experts in the domain of management) have worked out the plan for Yes Theatre (YT), the new organization.
YT Vision:
Create a theatre that expresses the Palestinian's identity and culture.
YT Mission:
YT is working in order To create, develop and produce a vital and dynamic program of theatre, and other live performances and projects, for all the people of Hebron and surrounding
Strategic Goals:
Yes Theatre is a non-profit organization, an independent initiative, not a member of, nor affiliated with any political party. YT was established in the beginning of 2007 in Hebron city in order to achieve the following objectives:
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To create a theatre that is welcoming, inclusive and open to all sections of the community.
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To create a theatre which has a high profile, and is a vital component of the public and cultural life of the region.
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To create work that both satisfies and challenges the theatre's audiences.
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To offer opportunities to develop theatre and performance skills, particularly to children, young people and other social and cultural groups who are currently under represented.
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To create educational opportunities for school students within the theater's program.
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To combine with other partners, as sponsors, co-producers or donors to enhance and extend the quality and scope of our productions and other activities.
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To develop new artists, new work and new ways of working.
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To develop a national profile for the theatre as a center of excellence and a source of innovation.
YT Staff
Artistic Team:
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Managerial Team:
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Yazid Zahdah (YT Chairman).
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Mohammad Issa (Administrative Manager).
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Majdi Shomali (YT Financial Consultant).
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Hasan Abou Eid (YT Consultant for the Legal Issues).
About The Actors
The artistic team of YES Theatre was the responsible team who managed, organized and implemented all the activities, projects and programs of Theatre Day Productions at Hebron Governorate from 1997 to 2007.
Since that period, YT artistic staff has succeeded in developing and producing of several plays as; Something Ordinary, Ma, Walking Boy, Um Al Abed Family, Other Face, Swing and others. Moreover, this team has directed several plays deal directly with adolescents' issues as; 24 hours, Hour of Dreaming and Vigilance, One Problem, The Face, Girls' Mother, Bed No. 12 and others. The artistic team of Yes Theatre holds a certificate in drama and theatre, this certificate was obtained as a result of a conducted training program for three years with Theatre Day Productions. Also, this team holds a high diploma regarding the employment of drama in education from Gdansk University in Poland. It is very important to mention here that the participation of YT staff in many training programs, workshops and seminars related to direction, story writing, story telling and drama teaching reflected positively on their potentials and the quality of their work.
Since years ago, Ihab, Mohammad and Raed have implemented hundreds of training hours for children, schools teachers and youth inside and outside Palestine. Also, they have participated to several festivals in several countries as; Poland, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands and Jordan.
At the beginning of 2007, those three friends have worked hardly in order to create and establish a new organization at Hebron Governorate to offer the local community special activities, projects and programs in drama and theatre fields, this organization is called Yes Theatre.
