Theatre practitioners across the country are celebrating World Theatre Week from March 20, culminating in World Theatre Day on March 27.
With its ongoing theme of theatre and a culture of peace, thespians are reflecting on the importance of the stage as a space for storytelling and collaboration.
Theatre producer and actor Martina Ayoro, who is based in Mombasa, is marking the occasion by producing an initiative titled Incubation, a project focused on restaging theatre works that had previously been shelved.
The initiative is her second project as a producer and aims to give shelved works a renewed platform through collaborative development.
“I am honoured to have Index One play performed by Nyokabi Macharia and directed by Nice Githinji as my pilot project, which is currently being incubated and staged on April 11,” she says.
Supported by Producer Hub through the Bridges Fellowship, which offers opportunities for female producers, the project is releasing a series of virtual workshops throughout March.
It includes eight sessions where participants revisit scripts and performance ideas while refining them for the stage. The workshop process will culminate in a mock performance scheduled for April.
Ayoro sees this week as a time for theatre makers to highlight the passion and dedication that goes into artistic work. World Theatre Day, she says, is a day when they can announce their presence to the world through the stories they bring to life.
In Nairobi, Cooper Rust of Dance Centre Kenya (DCK) celebrates how audiences and quality have expanded for dance theatre.
“Celebrating theatre is embedded in everyday practice. We will stage performances throughout the year, including a production of West Side Story scheduled for June at the Kenya National Theatre,” she says.
Veteran actor Wakio Mzenge, through the Beyond the Mainstream Storytellers, will host storytelling performances at the Cheche Gallery, Kenya Cultural Centre, in Nairobi.
“We are hosting BTM Works Theatre Day storytelling Adventures which includes creative workouts, conversations with writers, a storytelling treasure hunt and 2 solo perfomances,” says Wakio.
The Kenya Cultural Centre (KCC) CEO Michael Pundo says that the two-weekend staging of Redemption, a play by the late Prof. David Mulwa by the institution, sparked conversations centered around the theme of The World Theatre Week and Day.
“The production is a celebration in its own right; one that fully embodied the spirit of World Theatre Week. We celebrated our legends during this time,” says Pundo.
In Machakos, Daniel Mutuku, CEO and lead instructor at Wates Music Concept, says the county’s music theatre scene has grown through increasing collaboration among artists and technicians.
Mutuku, whose organisation incorporates Wates Records and the Machakos Talents Centre, oversees technical audio production while mentoring young performers.
“There is now a stronger focus on the technical quality of live music and sound. Young artists are increasingly able to move from talent to the professional stage through structured mentorship and training,” he says.
The Machakos Talents Centre plans to host a talent showcase and sound workshop for emerging performers and music practitioners.
In Kisumu, Mama Grace Onyango Cultural and Social Centre will celebrate the music aspect of theatre through rhumba and opera performances by Mama Grace Onyango Rhumba Band.
Theatre scholar and playwright Dr Fred Mbogo, based in Nairobi and Eldoret, says that while drama revolves around conflict, the process of staging and resolving it helps audiences think about reconciliation.
“Theatre relies on spectacle and certainly deserves a day of its own. The art form naturally lends itself to conversations about peace, making it a powerful medium for social reflection,” Dr Mbogo says.
Theatre producer and director Brian Mwanzo of Artflame Theatre Network, based in Eldoret, celebrates the role theatre plays in reflecting society and encouraging dialogue.
Mwanzo plans to celebrate by watching performances, participating in productions and having conversations about the place of theatre in contemporary society.
“The week is also an opportunity to reflect on my personal journey in the art form and see how theatre can continue to be used to tell meaningful stories,” he shares.
He believes theatre can present diverse perspectives and humanise experiences that audiences may not otherwise encounter. By exploring themes such as conflict and reconciliation, stage productions encourage audiences to reflect on compassion and coexistence.
Photos: Courtesy, Dance Centre Kenya