A leading regional media company has launched a Gulf-wide casting call for the new season of popular children’s show “Iftah Ya Simsim” (the Arabic version of Sesame Street).

The program is now in its pre-production phase and is expected to debut on several GCC channels later this year.

Cairo Arafat, managing director of Bidaya Media, told Arab News that they want to give a chance to children who want to audition for the educational program.

The first round of auditions will take place in April.

“Casting calls will be sent to universities, theaters, cultural centers and social media outlets to attract talent from across the region as puppeteers and singers,” he said. “These puppeteers will bring Nomaan, a popular muppet on the show, and other muppets to life in the new program. This is a milestone in the development of the program, which aims to instill values and cultural teachings in Arab children.”

“We aim to find the right kids for these roles and are eager to explore young talent in the GCC,” he said.

Abdulla Al-Sharhan, creative director of the series, said that the show has been in the design phase for over a year thanks to the input of child development experts, educators and cultural consultants.

“All this hard work must now be transformed into a creative masterpiece that will make learning fun,” he said. “It is truly an honor to be part of this great educational and entertainment experiment.”

“The best talents will be selected to undergo training with experts and professionals from New York’s Sesame Workshop, the innovators behind the original Sesame Street,” he said.

“The New York team will provide their very best ‘mupeteers’ to train the young and budding group of GCC performers. Training will take place in Abu Dhabi.”

“We are eagerly awaiting responses to the casting call. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a great career opportunity for talented young kids,” said Amr Badr, the show’s producer.

Applicants can visit www.bidayamedia.com for more information or log onto the show’s social media pages (@bidayamedia).