Doha, June 20 (QNA) – The 38th Doha Theatre Festival, organized by the Theatre Affairs Center of the Ministry of Culture, is set to commence Sunday evening and run for four days, featuring performances by amateur theatre groups.

Three plays by amateur groups will compete at the Al Mayassa Theatre in the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC).

The opening play is "Under the Rubble" by the Doha Theatre Group, written by Yasser Al Hassan and directed by Faleh Fayez. The festival will open tomorrow with "The Dividing City" by the Qatar Theatre Group, written by Talib Al Dous and directed by Mohammed Yousef Al Mulla, which will be performed on Monday evening. 

The festival will conclude with "The Black Heel" by the Al Watan Theatre Group, written and directed by Shuaib Al Kuwari, which will be performed on Tuesday evening, June 23.

The audience will be treated to the festival's closing ceremony and awards presentation at 8:00 PM on Wednesday, June 24th, at the Dukhan Hall Theater in the Ministry of Culture building.

During the festival, workshops will be held immediately following the performances, featuring a number of critics and theater specialists who will discuss the artistic works with their creators. A daily bulletin documenting the festival's events will also be published.

Coinciding with the 38th edition of the festival, the Theater Affairs Center will release its annual festival book, showcasing the most prominent activities and events organized by the center during 2026.

This year's book includes a tribute to four prominent Qatari artists and theater figures who passed away, leaving behind a lasting artistic legacy: artist Mohammed Al Balm, director Talal Al Siddiqi, Dr. Ahmed Abdulmalik, and artist Khalifa Jumaan, in recognition of their distinguished careers and contributions to the cultural movement.

The Doha Theatre Festival is the oldest and first theatre festival in the region, and its celebration of its thirty-eighth edition this year confirms its continued role in enriching the cultural movement and presenting distinguished artistic experiences. (QNA)