The NAPA Repertory Festival 2026 returns this May with a packed line-up reflecting both legacy and experimentation, as the National Academy of Performing Arts marks two decades of shaping Pakistan’s performing arts landscape.

Running from May 8 to May 23 at its Karachi campus, the festival brings together theatre, music, storytelling and interactive events, offering audiences a cross-section of contemporary and classical performance.

The opening weekend sets the tone with ‘Annapurna’, to be staged on May 8 and 9. Directed by Moazim Malik, the tragicomedy follows a couple reconnecting after two decades apart, navigating memory, regret and the fragile possibility of reconciliation.

On May 11 and 12, ‘Mulaqaat’ takes over the Zia Mohyeddin Theatre. Featuring Waqas Akhtar and Tuba Naeem, the two-character play unfolds on a suburban railway platform, where a chance meeting between strangers turns into a humorous yet quietly transformative encounter.

The festival continues on May 13 and 14 with ‘The Zoo Story’ by Edward Albee. The short play centres on a tense exchange between two men, Jerry and Peter, probing themes of isolation, class and human connection.

Midway through the programme, on May 15 and 16, the focus shifts to tradition with a ‘Sham-e-Dastangoi’ at the same venue. Performances such as ‘Aik Tha Badshah’ will be brought to life by NAPA alumni, including Meesam Naqvi, Nazrul Hasan and Fawad Khan, celebrating the oral storytelling form.

On May 17, the festival leans into musical experimentation with a fusion performance featuring the Arsalan Parvez Trio and Muhammad Minaam, blending contemporary and classical influences.

The theatrical spotlight returns on May 18 and 19 with ‘Zeest’, a 60-minute production directed by Kashif Hussain. Featuring Kiran Siddiqui, Farhan Alam, Jibran Khan and Akhtar Abbas, the play explores the quiet, often unspoken unfolding of a life through intimate spaces and layered dialogue.

The closing days round off the festival with lighter, community-driven events, including a game night, a piano series and a performance by Ahsan Bari, creating a more informal end to the two-week run.

More than just a line-up of performances, this year’s repertory festival doubles as a milestone moment as NAPA completes 20 years. The programme reflects an evolving theatre culture that continues to balance experimentation with tradition while nurturing new voices alongside established names.

For over two decades, NAPA has been a training ground for many of Pakistan’s finest performing artists. Some of the most celebrated names in theatre and music today have a NAPA story – trained here, shaped here, and sent into the world to define an entire industry.

Led for decades by the late Zia Mohyeddin, NAPA has stood as one of Pakistan’s most celebrated institutions of performing arts, setting the standard for theatrical and musical excellence since its inception in 2005.

The NAPA Repertory Festival celebrates that legacy, bringing together accomplished alumni in theatre and music, with six theatre productions and three musical evenings staged where it all began.