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Stephen Chifunyise Theatre Corridors
Today, March 27, is the World Theatre Day. Celebrations to mark this day in Harare have been organised by the Zimbabwe Centre of the International Theatre Institute at the Old Mutual Theatre at the Alliance Francaise Centre.
All over the world, national centres of the International Theatre Institute lead in the organisations of celebrations to mark the day which was first celebrated in 1962.
Appearing on the four hour programme of celebration in Harare is the most travelled and “big man of Zimbabwean stand-up comedy”, Carl Joshua Ncube who will also be the master of ceremonies of the programme.
The World Theatre Day is also an appropriate opportunity for Zimbabwe theatre community to recognize and celebrate one of their members ,Carl Joshua Ncube who has become one of the vital engines of the fast growing theatre genre, stand-up comedy.
This witty comedian has also vividly illustrated how the theatre sector can effectively market its theatre products world-wide.
The guest of honour at these celebrations is the Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Tabeth Malinga who will also address the community of theatre practitioners and other cultural operators attending the event.
The presence of a senior representative of the Government at events to celebrate the World Theatre Day is a good indication of the role Government plays in ensuring adequate promoting and recognising the efforts of stakeholders in the arts and culture sector and the provision of policy guidelines that capacity build arts and culture operators towards contributing effectively to national development.
The celebrations which begin at 2pm will feature a diverse performing arts programme of theatre, dance and music. The line up of theatre presentations comprises: “School Girl” by Patsime Edutaiment Trust, “Childhood Memories” by CHIPAWO Arts Education for Development Trust, “No Cause”— a one hander by Gideon Wabvuta and “What are the odds?” directed by Elizabeth Muchemwa and written by Ogutu Muraya, a Kenyan playwright. “What are the Odds ?” was one of the short plays that was part of ‘‘Sweet and Short’’ theatre programme of ITI (Zimbabwe Centre) at last year’s Harare International Festival of the Arts.
Representing the dance sector will be Shamiso Arts Trust with a dance piece directed by Brian Geza: Youth Empowerment Through Performing Arts Project (YEPAP) with a traditional dance piece and Jibilika Dance Trust with another dance piece. Jibilika is the foremost promoter of hip-hop dance in Zimbabwe. The music sector will be represented by Mhanda Acoustics led by Brezhnev Guvheya.
In Bulawayo, the World Theatre Day Colloquium started yesterday at Amakhosi Cultural Centre with a keynote address by Professor David Kerr from the University Of Botswana and paper presentations by scholars from the University of Zambia, Chinhoyi University of Technology and Lupane University. Also presented yesterday where theatre productions by students from Mutare Polytechnic and Great Zimbabwe University. Two theatre productions “Uproot the Rot” directed by Cont Mhlanga and “Disposition” directed by Ramsay Kasawaya were presented in the evening which concluded with a Culture and Heritage Night.
This year’s World Theatre Day international message which will be read at all events to mark the day was written by Brett Bailey – a prominent theatre practitioner who challenges fellow theatre practitioners in his message by saying: “Are we the artists of arena and stages confirming to the satirised demands of the market, or seizing the power that we have, to clear a space in the hearts and minds of society, to gather people around us, to inspire, enchant and inform, and to create a world of hope and open-hearted collaboration.”
Other writers of the World Theatre Day International message in the past have included Wole Soyinka, Arthur Miller, Jean Cocteau, Peter Brook, Martin Esslin, Agusto Boal, Vaclav Havel, Dario Fao and Frederico Mayor, the formed director general of UNESCO. These outstanding figures in theatre were invited to share their reflections on theatre and international harmony. This evening sees the launch of AIDS at work places awareness-raising film ‘‘Hanya Nani?”at the University of Zimbabwe’s Beit Hall at 18 hours. Last year the play ‘‘Hanya Nani?’’ was performed at numerous work places in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru and Mutare by a group of award winning actors under the direction of Tafadzwa Muzondo of Edzai Isu Theatre Initiative under the sponsorship of PSI Zimbabwe. The short film being launched this evening was made with the support of the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe .
Tafadzwa Muzondo has indicated that copies of the film will be distributed to “work places for viewing by workers, their spouses and their families”.
Patience Tawengwa, one of the directors of Amasi Collaborative Arts who are the producer of Danai Gurira’s “The Convent” which was presented for three weeks in Harare in December last year, has indicated that Masvingo’s Austin Theatre will be the first venue out of Harare for the play’s extended national performance tour to be undertaken soon .
She also indicated that the organisation has made enquiries for the play to tour Namibia and Malawi and that the organisation will bring from the United States a theatre practitioner during HIFA to share experiences and skills with local theatre practitioners.
Since last Thursday, I have received several enquiries about the calls for proposals from the two UNESCO international funds: International Fund for Cultural Diversity and the International Fund for the Promotion of Culture.
Most of the questions were to do with the difference between the two UNESCO funds; who is eligible to apply for funding and for what type of projects. I have indicated to all those who enquired that they should access the website of the two funds , study the guidelines to applications and the application form.
While the deadline for receipt of applications by the IFPC Secretariat in Paris is May 24, 2014, the deadline for receipt of application for IFCD by the Zimbabwe National Commission for UNESCO is April 11, 2014. The Zimbabwe National Commission for UNESCO has set up a team to evaluate the applications in order to select only four that will be recommended to the IFPC secretariat.
Although the IFPC will prioritise projects involved young creators aged 18 years to 30 years, applicants who are older are eligible. Applicants to the IFPC must be aware that the Fund will expect that they have at least 20 percent of the total budget of the project for which they are seeking funding.
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