The Tunisian play “The Runaways” has won the Grand Prize of the Arab Theater Festival, whose events were held in Cairo from January 10 to 16, 2026, organized by the Arab Theater Authority in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture.
The play was part of the festival’s official competition, which included 15 theatrical performances from various Arab countries, competing for the Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi Award for the best Arab theatrical work.
The announcement of “The Runaways” winning came during the festival’s closing ceremony, held on Friday, in the presence of theater professionals, critics, and representatives of Arab cultural bodies. The jury presented the award to the winning work according to the established artistic evaluation criteria.
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A specialized Arab committee was formed to view the submitted performances and select the participants for this edition. It included a selection of Arab theater professionals and worked to evaluate hundreds of submissions to choose performances representing an artistic level worthy of the festival.
A five-member Arab jury was tasked with adjudicating the theatrical performance competition.
It is worth mentioning that the play “The Runaways” won the Golden Tanit Award (the Grand Prize) at the 26th edition of the Carthage Theater Days in December of last year, 2025.
The winning work will be the opening performance of the upcoming edition of “Sharjah Theater Days.”
The Runaways
“The Runaways” is a 1970s American all-female rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1975 by drummer Sandy West and guitarist Joan Jett. They are historically significant as pioneering women in the male-dominated hard rock and punk scenes, with hits like “Cherry Bomb” launching the careers of several members. The band faced industry challenges and internal tensions before disbanding in 1979.
Arab Theater Festival
The Arab Theater Festival is a major cultural event established in 1999 in Damascus, Syria, to celebrate and promote theatrical arts across the Arab world. It serves as a significant platform for showcasing productions, fostering dialogue, and encouraging artistic exchange among Arab playwrights, directors, and actors.
Cairo
Cairo is the sprawling capital of Egypt, founded in 969 CE by the Fatimid dynasty. It is renowned for its rich history, serving as a center of the Islamic world and home to iconic landmarks like the Pyramids of Giza on its outskirts and the historic Islamic Cairo district with its ancient mosques and bazaars.
Arab Theater Authority
The Arab Theater Authority is a cultural institution established in 2015 under the Arab League’s Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO). Its primary mission is to support and develop theatrical arts across the Arab world by fostering cooperation, organizing festivals, and preserving the region’s rich theatrical heritage.
Egyptian Ministry of Culture
The Egyptian Ministry of Culture is a government body established in 1958, responsible for preserving and promoting Egypt’s vast cultural heritage and contemporary arts. It oversees numerous institutions, including museums, libraries, and archaeological sites, playing a central role in managing the country’s historical monuments and cultural policy.
Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi Award
The Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi Award is a prestigious UAE cultural prize established in 2013 by the ruler of Sharjah. It honors distinguished Arab and international researchers, authors, and institutions for their significant contributions to the fields of humanities, social sciences, culture, and national history in the Arab world.
Golden Tanit Award
The Golden Tanit Award is the top prize at the Carthage Film Festival, one of Africa’s oldest and most prestigious film festivals, held biennially in Tunisia. Named after the ancient Phoenician goddess Tanit, once worshipped in Carthage, the award was established in 1966 to honor the best feature film in the festival’s competition.
Carthage Theater Days
Carthage Theater Days is an annual performing arts festival held in the historic city of Carthage, Tunisia. It was founded in 1964 to revitalize the ancient Roman theater on the site and has since grown into a major international festival showcasing theater, music, and dance from across the Arab world and beyond.
Sharjah Theater Days
Sharjah Theater Days is an annual cultural festival in the United Arab Emirates, established in 1984 to promote theatrical arts in the Gulf region. It features competitions, performances, and workshops, serving as a key platform for Arab playwrights, directors, and actors to showcase their work and foster artistic dialogue.
