Turkish players mark World Theater Day amid pandemic

By Fatih Turkyilmaz, Aise Humeyra Bulovali and Aykut Karadag

ISTANBUL/ANKARA (AA) - Turkish actors and actresses on Friday marked the World Theater Day by releasing videos on social media and encouraging people to stay at home as the novel coronavirus continues spreading across the globe.

Veteran Turkish actress Colpan Ilhan and her son Kerem Alisik, who is also an actor and general art director of Sadri Alisik Theater in Istanbul, marked the World Theater day in a statement.

The meaning of love and theater are the same, they said: “Because theaters do not only open their stage curtains, they also open the curtains of our hearts.”

“The Alisik Theater could not open its curtains for the first time in 25 years,” the statement noted, and added: “Please stay at home and so stay healthy.”

Turkey has so far reported 3,629 positive COVID-19 cases with 75 deaths.

All schools, malls, cafes and restaurants, sports events, as well as theaters shut down in the country.

Another Turkish actress Hatice Aslan, who played many films among Three Monkeys, which brought Turkey’s one of the most important director Nuri Bilge Ceylan Best Director Award at Cannes Film Festival in 2008, took also social media to celebrate the World Theater Day.

“We believe that this period will end and we will be together again,” Aslan said.

Another veteran Turkish actor Ali Poyrazoglu released a video on YouTube to mark the occasion: “This time I am clapping you,” he said, addressing theatergoers.

Meanwhile, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy marked the World Theater Day in a statement.

“While celebrating the World Theater Day for artists and art lovers, I hope that the curtains will open to our lives forever with its glory and richness,” he added.

World Theater Day has been celebrated across the world since 1962.

After first appearing in Wuhan, China, in December, the virus has spread to at least 176 countries and regions, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

There have been over 558,500 cases worldwide, with more than 25,000 deaths and over 127,500 recoveries.