Over 100 Erbil students perform live school production

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Students of Erbil’s International School of Choueifat captivated the audience with their live theater performance last week, in a production that combined elements of theater, dancing, and gymnastics, displaying the talent of over 100 students.

Erbil’s Saad Abdullah Hall hosted a live performance of Enchanted, a production which saw 110 of Erbil’s Choueifat students between the ages of six to 15 demonstrate their acting prowess.

Theater performances are a common occurrence in many schools in the Kurdistan Region, and the school’s director and drama instructor were delighted with the success of their students.

“We wanted to show what our students can do on stage and challenge them,” Stephan Kleynhans, the school’s director told Rudaw’s Jafar Mubasher on Saturday. “Our goal was to, number one, after the difficult two years that we had with COVID, was to give the students again an opportunity to experience what it is to be a real student, to be on stage, to work with your friends, to do something together, to accomplish teamwork, build character.”

Sarina Panahide, Choueifat’s drama instructor, highlighted the importance of live performances as an essential element of the theater experience, and the significant role it plays in getting the audience engaged in the story being told.

“The most beautiful thing about theater is directly transmitting the emotions to your audience. And how do you create those emotions? Through a live performance,” Panahide said.

Enchanted tells the story of eight children who stumble upon a magical book that transports them into a mystical universe. The anthology production includes retellings of theater classics such as Cinderella and Robin Hood, as well as elements of dance and gymnastics.