Ministry of Culture Closes the 2014 FITESD After Presenting 85 Plays on Stage in 10 Days

Ministry of Culture Closes the 2014 FITESD After Presenting 85 Plays on Stage in 10 Days
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, July 29^th 2014

The Ministry of Culture (MINC) closed the VIII Santo Domingo International Theater Festival 2014 (FITESD) with the presentation of the play “Escalera para Electra” (Stairway for Electra) and the closing remarks by the Director of the event, Karina Noble, in the MáximoAvilésBlonda Hall of the Palace of Fine Arts.

Mrs. Karina Noble, while delivering the keynote speech of the event, said that “our first statistics show that about 35,000 people were impacted by the celebration of the 2014 FITE”.

The festival was dedicated to Salvador Pérez Martínez (El Pera), reciter, director, cultural manager, founder of the Traveling Theater and national glory of the theater, who was present during the closing night; and to Colombian creator Fabio Rubiano.

The ceremony was led by José Antonio Rodríguez, Minister of Culture; His Excellency Admiral Roberto GarcíaMárquez, Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia; ValentínAmaro, Director of Books and Reading; Félix Germán, Director of Fine Arts, and Carlota Carretero, Director of the Traveling Theater.

Mrs. Karina Noble, while delivering the keynote speech of the event, said that “our first statistics show that about 35,000 people were impacted by the celebration of the 2014 FITE”.

She said that this is the way to keep alive “that spark, that passion that the festival always arouses, its continuity and consolidation, which is the greatest contribution of the Ministry of Culture to the creation of new audiences and the professionalization of the Dominican creators”.

She also highlighted that 38 theater companies paraded through the 13 halls with their proposals, thus creating an environment of sharing that was evident for both the public and the artists themselves. “We had 85 performances, 35 international and 50 domestic. 5 special tributes took place as part of the integrated activities, among which were Casa de Teatro, MoninaSolá and Freddy Nanita. In addition, we had 11 workshops, the presentation of the book Damas del Teatro Dominicano (Ladies of the Dominican Theatre), and 20 discussions”.

Carlota Carretero presented a plaque of recognition to El Pera, Glory of the Theatre; and in his words of gratitude he quoted the verses of the immortal Guido Daverona, which read “¿porquétedetienes? Sigue, avanza esqueleto, camina, camina esqueleto que la vida comienza mañana” (Why are youstopping? Continue, move forward skeleton, walk, walk skeleton, that life begins tomorrow).

The event coordinators and support staff, who offered their services in various activities of the festival for ten consecutive days, were also recognized.

A total of 18 leading companies from Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador, Spain, Guatemala, Honduras, Puerto Rico, El Salvador Venezuela, and the USA participated, and, of course, our country guest of honor Colombia, which showcased the best of the contemporary Latin American scene, and 20 other national companies.

Finally, she thanked the Minister of Culture along with the Embassy of Colombia, the honorees, Salvador Pérez Martínez (El Pera), and all the people and organizations that made possible the production of this great festival.

This eighth edition of the festival took place under the slogan: “En teatrotuparticipas” (You participate in theater)”, in the Ravelo Hall of the National Theatre, the MáximoAvilésBlonda Hall of the Palace of Fine Arts, the MoninaSolá Hall of the Narciso González Cultural Center; the Otto Caro Hall of the Guloya Theater; the Cristóbal de Llerena Hall of Casa de Teatro; The Masks (Las Máscaras) Theater Hall; the HaffeSerulle Experimental Hall, and in the interior of the country, in the Restoration Hall of the Grand Cibao Theatre, and the Danilo Taveras Hall of the Monina Cámpora Cultural Center, in San Juan de la Maguana.

The agenda also included photo exhibitions, workshops, and discussions with the participating theater companies, conferences, symposia, five face-to-face gatherings with renowned figures and book presentations.

After the ceremony, the play Staircase for Electra, of the Traveling Theater headed by Carlota Carretero, was presented.

It is a story based on the novel by Aída Cartagena Portalatín, with adaptation of theater director Carlota Carretero. It consists of a representation of Euripides’ Electra, in a Theatre in Athens, to tell the story of Swain, a 30 year old from Moca.

Minister and special guests

Coordinators and support staff

Recognition of El Pera by Carlota Carretero

Salvador Pérez Martínez and his acknowledgments