Upcoming 6th Asian Youth Theatre Festival attracts troupes from 11 countries

The upcoming 6th Asian Youth Theatre Festival in Cambodia has proved to be quite popular internationally with youth troupes from 11 different countries set to attend. Siem Reap will host the event, with Cambodiown youth troupe joining the festival. According to Phnom Penh Post, the festival will run from November 24 to 27 and is organised by Khmer Art Action. Suong Sopheak, the art director of the festival and KAA’s executive director, says the festival will focus on unifying youth.

“The festival aims to provide a cultural bridge to connect and unite young people in the field of theatre and education and empower young people to use theatre as a springboard for the transformation and building of the next generation of Asian artists. 2022 is the sixth year that Cambodia will host the event. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the event was held online. There will be groups of about six or seven artists and leaders from each country, as well as several Cambodian troupes.”

The Medha Drum Troupe is one group that is already based in Siem Reap, but the rest will travel from Phnom Penh. Those groups include the Royal University of Music, Borkator and Khmeng Khaol Kampuchea, Khmer Art Action, and Victory Flag House.

International participants include the Youth Advocates Through Theatre Arts, Teatro Guindegan of Mindanao, and Usalt of Iloilo- all from the Philippines. While Singaporean acts include Tutas and Buds theatre as well as Taylor’s University. The Lanyim Theatre and Makhampom Theatre groups from Chiang Mai, Thailand will also attend.

More groups that will reportedly participate include Vietnam’s Magik Theatre, Indonesia’s Gigi Art Dance, India’s Kalander Society, Bangladesh’s Prachyanat, Myanmar’s Inwa School of Performing Arts, Japan’s Sakai International and Brunei’s 247 Studios.