Kuwait Little Theater started back in 1948 in Ahmadi under the name KUOCO Independent Players and is considered to be the oldest community theater in the region:
The first recorded theatrical activity in Kuwait’s oil era dates back to 1947 when a group of Kuwait Oil Company employees met in the old Magwa Club and called themselves “The KUOCO Independent Players”.
Their first production in 1948 was staged in a large nissen hut located in the Ahmadi Industrial area. Rehearsals were usually held in the producer’s or a member’s home. As the building was also the local cinema the sets were often built and painted and then assembled on stage at the last minute.
In 1950 KOC provided the group with a small hut next to the cinema with a mere 18-inch high platform serving as a stage. The hut was so small that it came to be known as Kuwait Little Theater.
Two years later the group moved to larger premises, (the former KOC food store known as Spinney’s on the Main Street), and this nissen hut has gone on to become the permanent home of ‘Kuwait Little Theater’.
Sadly, KLT no longer exists having closed down years ago (I think 2014) because the KLT hut which was still being used contained asbestos and so was no longer safe.
Recently I came across old photos as well as a list of every production that KLT held from 1950 up to 1990 which I’ve decided to upload to flickr. You can check everything out by clicking here.
Also back in 2010, I posted about a documentary that was released to celebrate KLT’s 60 year anniversary. You can check out that old post here.
3 replies on “Kuwait Little Theater – 1950 to 1990”
I work next to the the KLT building they have it under construction since 2015 i believe. But it looks pretty decent from outside never been to it though I just cross by.
Yeah i don’t think they demolished it just closed it down. Although not sure if they are doing any work to it.
Just seen this and surprised to see my photos in the article. My Dad was a keen member of the KLT (he is the one directing in the first picture) and produced many plays. I have many memories (and photos) of the time at the KLT which I revisited just a few years ago when the then team were preparing for Aladdin – I gave them some pictures of the original Aladdin which were put in the programme for the production.