The third edition of the Nepal International Theatre Festival (NITFEST) will take place not only in Kathmandu but also in Pokhara, Bharatpur, and Belbari. Organizer Mandala Theatre announced that the festival will be held outside the capital for the first time.
In Kathmandu, the festival will run from Chaitra 6 to Chaitra 12 at the Mandala Theatre. Meanwhile, the Pokhara International Theatre Festival will take place from Chaitra 8 to Chaitra 12 at the Gairapatan-based Natak Ghar, organized by Pokhara Theatre.
Similarly, the Chitwan International Theatre Festival will be hosted at Narayani Kala Mandir in Bharatpur from Chaitra 10 to Chaitra 12, organized by Karmi Chautari Natya Samuha. The Belbari International Theatre Festival, organized by Sirjana Ghar Belbari, will be held from Chaitra 11 to Chaitra 12 in Belbari, Morang.
Festival coordinator Kedar Shrestha shared that these three cities will host parallel theatre festivals in collaboration with NITFEST. The festival will continue until World Theatre Day on Chaitra 14.
“Our goal is to take arts and literature to every corner, just like the idea of taking governance to villages. That’s why we are expanding the festival beyond the valley,” said Shrestha.
In Kathmandu, theatre groups from 10 different countries will stage their plays. The festival will also feature workshops, discussion sessions, open-air performances, and traditional musical showcases.
The third edition of NITFEST is being organized under the theme “Theatre for Social Transformation: The Light of Indigenous Knowledge.” The festival lineup is set to be announced by Wednesday. Actor Dayahang Rai will serve as the festival director, and around 100 international theatre artists are expected to participate.
