Abu Dhabi Theater Makers Reveal Process Behind New Saadiyat Island Production

A production titled Echoes of the Souq opened this month at the NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Center after more than eight months of rehearsals in temporary spaces across the city.

The show explores daily life in Abu Dhabi markets through movement and spoken word, and its creators spent the spring revising scripts inside a warehouse near Mina Zayed while sourcing props from stalls along Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street. The timing aligns with the opening of new gallery wings on Saadiyat Island that have drawn larger evening crowds to cultural events.

Building the work on familiar ground

Lead designer Fatima Al Mansoori and director Rashid Al Qubaisi began meetings last November at Warehouse421 in Mina Zayed, where they mapped out set pieces made from reclaimed dhow wood and fabric scraps collected from tailors in Al Bateen. They later moved rehearsals to a black-box space inside the NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Center, testing lighting cues against the building's glass facade that overlooks the mangroves. The choice kept the team within a ten-minute drive of suppliers on Yas Island, avoiding the need for imported materials that have risen in cost this year.

Stage manager Aisha Al Suwaidi tracked every change in a shared log that listed exact dates for costume fittings at a workshop on Electra Street and technical run-throughs scheduled for 10 July. The production uses a cast of fourteen performers, half of them recent graduates from local training programs run by the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Festival.

Numbers that shaped the schedule

Rehearsal records show the team logged 142 hours of stage time between March and June, with daily sessions capped at six hours to accommodate performers who hold daytime jobs at nearby offices in Al Maryah Island. Ticket prices start at 85 dirhams for general seating, with a limited run of twelve performances through 25 July. Data from the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism recorded a 19 percent rise in theater attendance across the emirate in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year.

Visitors can still purchase tickets through the NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Center box office on Saadiyat Island or at the Warehouse421 information desk in Mina Zayed. Advance booking is advised for the remaining evening shows, which begin at 8 p.m.