TEHRAN, Jan. 1 (Mehr News Agency) -- Fifty-six domestic and foreign troupes will be participating in this year's Fajr Theater Festival to open on Jan. 8, secretary Saeid Keshen-Fallah announced on Monday.

The opening ceremony is to celebrate "Ghadir Khumm" -- the day Imam Ali (AS) was appointed as the real successor to the Holy Prophet (S).

Forty-six Iranian and 10 foreign participating groups have been selected out of 130 volunteers by jury members Farshid Ebrahimian, Mahmud Azizi, Mohammad Khabari, Hossein Mossafer-Astaneh, and Hossein Pakdel, the official added.

Keshen-Fallah stated that some factors including audience acclaim, quality, technique, and variety of genres were playing pivotal roles in picking up the works.

This edition is comprised of Festival of the Festivals, Tehran Province Plays, Regional, and Street Plays sections.

According to the secretary, the plays will be staged at Tehran's City Theater Complex and the Art Bureau as well as Vahdat, Sangalaj, Honar, and Molavi halls.

... Payvand News - 1/1/07 ... --