LIPA Academy Achieves New Milestone with Graduation of First Urdang Academy Acting Cohort in Kuwait and the Region
In a milestone marking a new stage in the development of technical education in Kuwait, the LABA Academy for Performing Arts (LAPA) celebrated the graduation of its first cohort from the Urdang program in Acting and Stage Performance. Nine participants successfully passed the final examination, earning accredited British certificates, marking the first outcome of the Urdang curriculum accreditation agreement announced in Kuwait in late 2025.
This achievement places Kuwait on the map of internationally recognized pathways in the performing arts, providing local talent with the opportunity to train under a specialized British curriculum and prepare for professional examinations that lead to qualifications and certifications in acting and stage performance.
Over 25 hours of intensive training, participants engaged in an experience combining academic knowledge with practical application, following the British Urdang curriculum, one of the prestigious names in performing arts education and training. The LABA Academy for Performing Arts implemented the program, while trainer and director Sherin Hajji oversaw the participants’ training and the application of the curriculum through a series of practical workshops focused on developing acting tools, character building, performance techniques, expression, improvisation, and work on scripts and stage performance. Trainer Dalal Jumaan also participated in the program by conducting specialized workshops on stage movement, focusing on body language, stage presence, movement awareness, and the development of actors’ physical performance. This integration of performance training and movement created a comprehensive experience aimed at preparing participants for the final examination according to the program’s requirements and standards.
After completing the training requirements, the participants took the final examination. All nine participants successfully passed, receiving their accredited British certificates. The examination was attended by Jacqueline Hadlow-Moore, Director and Chief Examiner at Urdang International, who observed the participants’ performances and reviewed their artistic output.
Hadlow-Moore praised the level demonstrated by LABA students, stating she was delighted to be the first examiner to have the opportunity to watch the creative and dedicated students of the academy. She noted that the course featured a diverse range of works, including contemporary stage monologues, Shakespearean pieces, mime, and poetry, reflecting the diversity and depth of the participants’ talents and performances. She expressed her anticipation for monitoring the growth and development of this pathway in the coming stages.
Trainer and director Sherin Hajji expressed her happiness with the experience, emphasizing that the program was significant for the participants, particularly because the final examination was conducted in English, which posed an additional challenge for some. Moreover, most participants were not academically specialized in acting, and their practical experience in the field was still in its early stages.
Hajji clarified that most participants had previously attended foundational courses at the LABA Academy for Performing Arts before qualifying to take the examination. She noted that their passion, commitment, and desire for self-improvement played a fundamental role in helping them successfully pass the Level One examination.
She added, “I was very pleased with this experience and with the commitment and progress demonstrated by the participants during the training period, especially since many of them started from foundational stages in acting. Nevertheless, they managed to face the challenge of the English-language examination and achieve this result. For us, this success represents the beginning of a pathway through which we aim to qualify those interested to progress through various levels according to the global British Urdang curriculum.”
She emphasized that the goal for the upcoming phase is to continue qualifying participants who wish to develop their skills and advance to higher levels, enabling them to build a gradual training and examination pathway in accordance with the Urdang methodology.
She noted that the next phase will not be limited to training and examinations, but will also include continuous practical opportunities throughout the year through short theatrical productions, giving participants a real chance to translate their learning into artistic practice on the ground.
Hajji stated that “Laba” will encourage young people to develop their capabilities across various fields of theatrical production, from scriptwriting, directing, and acting to scenography, through the “Nafesh” program. This program provides a space for experimentation, creativity, and teamwork, helping participants discover their talents in multiple areas of the theater industry.
The graduation of the first cohort follows a cooperation and accreditation agreement announced by “Laba” in November 2025 with the UK-based Urdang International, aiming to introduce Urdang’s specialized curricula in acting and stage performance within Kuwait.
The agreement reflects a move toward providing educational and artistic pathways with international standards for talents in Kuwait and the region, by combining local training with British expertise and enabling participants to obtain British qualifications and certificates upon fulfilling program requirements and passing examinations.
Urdang International Awards extends Urdang’s legacy in performing arts education and training, developing educational and training opportunities through international partnerships with schools, institutes, and educational and artistic institutions worldwide. The organization’s official website indicates that its programs cover theater, acting, dance, musical theater, public speaking, and performance, alongside examinations and professional qualifications.
Urdang International also clarifies that its programs operate in several countries, listing Kuwait among the nations where its programs are now available as part of its international expansion. Urdang International Awards offers programs that include specialized curricula, teacher training, workshops, advanced classes, and examinations and qualifications in the performing arts, aiming to support students, teachers, and emerging creative talents, and to open clear pathways for those wishing to develop their careers in the performing arts.
This achievement aligns with Laba’s academic vision for the performing arts, which seeks to discover and nurture talents by providing professional programs that combine academic qualification, practical training, and international expertise.
The graduation of the first cohort of the Urdang Acting Program represents a significant step in building new pathways for talents aspiring to enter the world of acting and the performing arts.
This pathway is not limited to obtaining a certificate; “Laba” aims to link academic training with practical application by providing continuous opportunities for participants to engage in theatrical experiences and develop their skills in various elements of production. Following the success of the first cohort, “Laba” will continue to accept registration applications for future cohorts of the Urdang Acting Program, offering more talents the opportunity to undergo international training within Kuwait, refine their artistic tools according to a global methodology, and prepare to obtain a British certificate upon fulfilling program requirements and passing the final examination.
