IT is always delightful to hear and learn of virtuous tidings in theatrical circles; workshops and seminars, festivals and play performances – such events enrich our playwrights, actors and all those involved in stagecraft; the players and audience alike.
This is why I consider last week’s theatre workshop as triumphant, celebratory and exultant; the national executive committee of National Theatre Arts Association of Zambia – NATAAZ partnership with the International Organization for Migration – IOM at Fairview Hotel in Lusaka, a loud success.
The workshop brought enlightening, revealing and illuminating matters on gender-based violence, HIV/AIDS and migration, and still I feel the theatre artistes shared and learnt just so much – though that is not my theme today.
The subject today, is that another NATAAZ fate is round the corner in 12 days, and this is the Lusaka Provincial theatre festival – such fiestas call for public support, and that is my earnest appeal.
Like our colleagues in the sports arena, theatre has always received negative responses from the corporate world; yet following the consciousness of what theatre has done; it is leaps and bounds! It is believed through theatre and music, the public learns a lot on various issues, particularly matters of health such as malaria, HIV AIDS, cholera, hence the need for moral and financial support to the theatre artistes.
Theatre artistes have never been wholesomely supported which scaffold they desperately need to climb up if the public is to learn more from the artistes.
The Lusaka Province NATAAZ publicity secretary Owen Matenga told me during the past week that come August 8 to 10, the Lusaka Playhouse will host 12 theatre groups that will jostle for the untaken six places in order to attend the National theatre NATAAZ Golden Jubilee Festival slatted for 29 October to November 1 in Lusaka.
Matenga, the army-sponsored Buffaloes theatre club member said the provincial festival has generally attracted 12 theatre groups; Bantu, Africa Directions, Zambia National Service (ZANASE), Zhaninge, NAPSA and the Zambia Airforce theatre groups.
Others are the highly acclaimed Buffaloes, Matero, Bare Feet ensemble, the revived Nkwazi, Tapeza and the newly-created Premier Arts Theatre.
“We are trimming down from the available 12 theatre groups to six to select those that will attend the National NATAAZ festival, and this means we will look for the best play, and best performance,” Staf Sergeant Matenga said admitting that the offered plays under rehearsals are all of very high quality, and that the groups were seriously rehearsing their productions.
Matenga has called upon Lusaka-based individuals and corporate firms to buoy up the festival with offerings towards the awards to the individuals and group winners.
The publicity chief said Hon Given Lubinda; the Kabwata Member of Parliament has intimated helping fund part of the Provincial Festival.
Lubinda, who is a celebrated actor formerly at Lusaka Playhouse, has appreciatively pledged to help find prizes for the best actor and actress.
Added Matenga, “All the theatre groups are committed with preparations for the festival, and efforts to pick the best of adjudicators have been finalized, though I will not disclose now who these are.”
According to Matenga, Matero theatre has planned to put up A Fig Tree in the Wrong Field by Bizwell Mudenda, Nkwazi theatre is rehearsing Henry Joe Sakala’s Living with an Enemy, whilst NAPSA has Harvest of Shadows written by Dr Cheela Chilala.
Bantu theatre has produced two plays The Married Virgin by Leo Dauty Simukoko and Francis Malunga’s The Pastor and the Harlot, but will have to decide to enter one in the festival.
Matenga further announced that Africa Directions are doing Do a Closer Look and that ZANASE have entered last year’s production Light Musonda’s Your Sister Talks Too Much directed by celebrated poet Nicholas Kawinga whereas the Government Printers’ sponsored outfit Zhaninge more likely will stage their semi- comedy drama Sanadye.
Premier Arts Productions have a dicey story in Does the President Know by the late inimitable playwright Maurice Tembo. And interestingly Premier Arts production is primed to participate in the NATAAZ festival for the first time. Nevertheless, more for Premier Arts, the team is a company registered under Patent and Companies Registration Agency – PACRA comprising formerly Kamwala Secondary School Drama club members who have purposely joined hands to seriously pursue their dramatic talents and skills. Following their registration early this year, the group staged John Ntulisha’s Holy Corruption at Lusaka Playhouse last May as the premiere production.
According to Sidney Mwape, the wits behind Premier Arts Theatre, the assemblage of actors is schemed to establish themselves before they could venture into something financially bigger.
And Nestory Matipa, Nakonde theatre group’s leader who was in Lusaka recently during the IOM workshop has called to confirm his group’s attending the national festival in October, and appealed for sponsorship in form of transport and lodging while in the capital city.
Nestory said Muchinga residents were excited as a new province to support the theatre group; hence the urgency in mobilising funds to participate in the festival.
For the Kasama Arts Theatre club’s chairperson Peter Chinunda, his group is rehearsing The Will by Martin Mwamba in readiness for the national NATAAZ festival. Peter also confirmed that his group leaves for France on July 30 for a 21-day performing spree at a festival called Sud du, meaning festival of the south.
In Martin’s The Will, the story entwines a frivolous couple that lives for 20 years without proper documentations for their marriage, now when the wife dies, that’s when trouble ensues and questions on cohabiting and marriage arises.
The intrinsic background is the uncertainty and inquiry on how traditional families interpret marriage; the story further unfolds the fact that during the woman’s funeral, the strewn family members reunites not only in mourning the deceased, but in celebrating their reunion.
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The National Schools Arts Association of Zambia – NASAAZ has been rest for August 12 to 15 August at Solwezi College of Education with participants from schools all over the country though Muchinga Province will not take part.
David Asumani, NASAAZ national chairman confirmed from his Ndola base that the Solwezi NASAAZ festival was likely to be bigger as participants include learners with special needs featuring in drama and poetry unlike previously when these two categories never allowed for their participation.
“We have had choral and dance for children with special needs, but this is the first time we have allowed for their drama and poetry entries,’’ David assured promising the festival will combine performing and fine arts.
David said the festival was exceedingly aggressive and bloodthirsty with all the provinces except for Muchinga, guarantying the best, and capable of putting up vigorous, energetic and strong-willed performances.
Next week, my idea is to begin looking at some of the theatre groups that have created an brunt, and possibly veer at individuals dead or alive that fashioned the shape of Zambian theatre. If any of the readers have news and information in that line , I would be too pleased to hear from you.
John.kapesa818@yahoo.co.uk – 0955-0967-0977-710975.