Turkey stages children's theatre festival

ANKARA

Thousands are expected to attend the international children’s theatre festival Little Ladies, Little Gentlemen, which starts in Ankara on Tuesday.

The festival will stage 80 performances and theatre groups from Italy, Spain, Iran and Croatia will join 13 local troupes to stage the event.

The five-day festival will feature puppet shows, shadow plays, musicals and dance shows to both entertain and educate children, organizers said.

Turkish State Theatres, which oversees theatre companies in Turkey, has run the festival for the past 12 years around Children's Day on April 23.

According to the government-run body’s website, the name of the festival came from a speech to children by Mustapha Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, who dedicated the day to children.

“Little ladies, little gentlemen, you are all the roses, the stars and the sparkling joy of our future, the ones who will elevate the nation,” he said. “Always be aware of your value and significance! And work hard... we have great expectations from you.”

ANKARA

Thousands are expected to attend the international children’s theatre festival Little Ladies, Little Gentlemen, which starts in Ankara on Tuesday.

The festival will stage 80 performances and theatre groups from Italy, Spain, Iran and Croatia will join 13 local troupes to stage the event.

The five-day festival will feature puppet shows, shadow plays, musicals and dance shows to both entertain and educate children, organizers said.

Turkish State Theatres, which oversees theatre companies in Turkey, has run the festival for the past 12 years around Children's Day on April 23.

According to the government-run body’s website, the name of the festival came from a speech to children by Mustapha Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, who dedicated the day to children.