The Official Blog of the Uganda National Cultural Centre (UNCC), comprising the National Theatre and Nommo Gallery. An Institution guided by unity in diversity; nourishing, celebrating, preserving and promoting Uganda's Art and Culture.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
DANCE TRANSMISSION FESTIVAL
ENTRANCE:5000#.COME AND HAVE FUN
LATIN FLAVOUR NIGHT
WEDNESDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2010
VENUE:NATIONAL THEATRE
DOORS OPEN:6:30PM
ENTRANCE FEE:5000#
"LATIN FLAVOUR NIGHT IS EVERY LAST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH"
EVOLV CREATIONS PRESENTS
AN AFRICAN DRAMA ABOUT LOVE AND BETRAYAL
VENUE:NATIONAL THEATRE
DATE: 17,18,19,31,JAN 1,2
FEE:15,000# ORDINARY AND 30.000 VIP
FOR MORE DETAILS CALL:0714213607/0702594692
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
LUMINOUS SORRELS
VENUE:NATIONAL THEATRE(AUDITORIUM)
DATE:SAT 20TH NOV.2010
TIME:3:30PM
ENTRANCE:FREE!!!!!
KAMPALA AMATEUR DREMATICS SOCIETY
LOCATION AND TCKETS
NATIONAL THEATRE,
0414-254567
TICKETS AT THE BOX OFFICE
SHOWS AND PRICES
WED 8TH DEC 2010,7:30PM
ADULTS:8,000Ush
CHILDREN:5,000Ush
THUR 9TH DEC 2010,7:30PM
FRI 10TH DEC 2010,7:30PM
ADULTS:15,000Ush
CHILDREN:10,000Ush
SAT 11TH DEC 2010,7:30PM
ADULTS:12,000Ush
CHILDREN:8,000Ush
Thursday, November 4, 2010
AFRI-PLUS FILMS
ENTRANCE;10,000shs
VIP BY INVITE.
JAM SESSION FEAT THIS IS UGANDA 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
THE BONFIRE NITE
FREE ENTRY,A CELEBRATION OF POETRY,MUSIC NARRATIVES,LIVE PAINTING,STORY TELLING AND MANY MORE COME AND HAVE FUN WIT U'RE ARTISTS
MEMORIES OF CHILD SOLDIERS
SHOWING WEDNESDAY 20 OCT 2010 AT 1:00PM.AT NATIONAL THEATRE
ENTRANCE IS 10000USH/STUDENTS,ARTISTS 5000USH
"FILM CHART"
Monday, October 11, 2010
JAM SESSION
Monday, September 27, 2010
JAM SESSION
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
M.J NITE!!!!!!
UGANDA NATIONAL CONTEMPORARY BALLET
Entrance fee is 10000#,Tickets available at Booking office.For more information visit them on facebook under "Uganda Contemporary Ballet".
Monday, September 13, 2010
BAYIMBA INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF MUSIC AND ARTS
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
WEEKEND PROGRAMME
Featuring:
Michael Ouma (music) UGANDA
Amia Miang (voice/dance) DENMARK
Samuel Prince Ibanda (voice/dance) UGANDA
Friday 27th & Saturday 28th August
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Entrance: Just buy a drink for your self
BODA BODA is a collaboration between Danish and Ugandan artists created in six days between the 23 and 28 of August 2010. After the Ugandan premiere the project will tour to Denmark for September 2010 and be a part of the Danish
International Arts festival.
This project is funded and supported by the DCCD (Danish Centre for Cultural Development) and made in collaboration with the Uganda National Culture Centre - NATIONAL THEATRE UGANDA.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
LATINO FLAVOUR
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
CONGS!!!!!!!
Monday, August 16, 2010
JAM SESSION
Friday, August 13, 2010
NATIONAL THEATRE: AUDITION CALL: COOKING OIL
A play written by Asiimwe Deborah, Directed by Emily Mendelsohn
PLAY SUMMARY:
Cooking Oil, a new play by Deborah Asiimwe, tells the story of a teenage girl murdered while selling her village's food aid to raise money for her school fees. Using song, dance and storytelling, the play asks the questions - is it ever alright to take something that is not yours? Is it ever alright to judge difficult choices that one is not forced to make? This production is a collaboration between Ugandan and American artists and will be showing at National Theatre, Kampala from October 8, 2010.
Further Inquiries:
www.cookingoilplay.com or for inquiries while in Uganda, call 0752 841 567
AUDITIONS:
- We are looking for 12 actors and actresses, aged between 15 years and 60 years, with abilities to sing and act.
- Open Auditions will be held at the National Theatre, Kampala on Saturday 14 August, 10:00am to 3:00pm and Rehearsals will run from August 23, 2010.
- Interested? Please come for auditions prepared to sing a song.
We are looking for actors and actresses for the following roles:
MARIA – Spirit. 18 years old, Intelligent, beautiful, looks much younger than her age. Hawks gallons of Cooking Oil and also smuggles it across the boarders of her country. Her ambition-to attain university education.
HON. DR. SIR SILVER BIBALA – Politician. Mid 40s. Eloquent, handsome, loyal to his friends. His ambition is to build a strong political career, never to allow poverty into his household ever again, dreams of one day becoming the president of his country.
KAFUKO – Silver’s nephew, his right hand man. Early 30s. He is the brain behind Silver’s political career. Shrewd. He does what he can to get what he wants. He does as he is told without questioning especially if he knows that there is something for him. His motto is “eat while your mouth can chew!”
BATAKA – A peasant. Mid 40s. Silver’s childhood friend, Maria’s father. He lost his property during the war and became very poor. However, with Silver’s help, the economic condition of his household has slightly improved. He looks much older than his age. His ambition is to educate his sons (Maria’s brothers) and find a day’s meal for his family. He runs a retail shop in the nearby trading centre. He becomes a haunted man.
NEEZA – Housewife. Late thirty’s. Maria’s mother and Bataka’s wife. Beautiful but tired. She is a traditional woman who tries to keep out of her husband’s way. Her ambition is to kick poverty out of their household and see Maria back in school.
NDEEBA – Fresh graduate social worker. Mid 20s. Turns activist. Nurses political ambitions. Upfront, idealistic. Her ambition is to turn her country into a corruption free society. Can she succeed?
VOICES (6) – Of the crowd, of journalists; echoes of the characters’ dreams, males and females. Performers who can play drums or other musical instrument preferred.
Asiimwe Deborah
Currently working as Specialist for Sundance East Africa, Deborah Asiimwe is a playwright and performer from Uganda. Forgotten World, Cooking Oil, Appointment with gOD and Untitled received readings and workshops in the United States of America. Lagoma is Searching, You are that Man, and My Secret were produced at the Uganda National Cultural Centre/National Theatre. Asiimwe has participated in many artists’ gatherings and conferences, including, the annual Arts in the One World Conference (CalArts, Valencia, California), a project of More Life Initiative: Genocide and Cultural Studies, a collaboration between CalArts and the Interdisciplinary Genocide Study Center in Kigali, Rwanda; Eti! East Africa Speaks at Dartmouth College (2008); the Women Playwrights International Conference in the Philippines (2003); and is the 2003 Sundance Theatre Lab international observer. Asiimwe received her MFA in Writing for Performance from California Institute of the Arts. She is the overall winner of the BBC African playwriting competition
Emily Mendelsohn is an LA based director. She has traveled to Rwanda and Uganda for the past three summers as part of the More Life Initiative, a conversational community exploring ways art can respond to violence. Emily teaches arts and civics at Vassar College’s Powerhouse Theater Program. She received her MFA in directing at California Institute of the Arts and she will be spending the year in Kampala on a directing Fulbright Fellowship.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Mafuta's "NYWERA" album Launch
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Fee: VIP 30,000/=
Ordinary 10,000/=
Friday, July 2, 2010
SOUND AS A MEANS TO ENGAGE
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Reinventing the Golden Era of Ugandan Theatre
The annual inter-school festivals were so competitive that only the best of the best earned the honour of performing for a packed house at the National Theatre in
Kiyingi's television series Buli Enkya, Buli Ekiro (1962), Gwosussa Emwanyi (1963) got multitudes hooked. In 1965, Kiyingi went to
Golden Artist
It's for his tremendous contribution to the theatre industry that Kiyingi has been acclaimed by critics as "the encyclopedia of drama" and "the moving spirit behind modern theatre in
The play which is a hilarious exposé of the economic exploitation Ugandans endured under Asians and the seeming inability of Ugandans to take charge of their political, social and economic affairs will starting July 3, 2010 be showing at the National Theatre as a step forward in reviving the theatrical glory that was as well as inspiring schools to resurrect school festivals.
"We want to set the trend of quality for the theatre industry in
Directed by Kaya Kagimu Mukasa and featuring some of the finest performers in the land –Patriko Mujuuka Sophie Matovu, Sam Okello, Sophie Matovu, Edwin Mulazi, Agnes Nakakawa and even the National Theatre Artistic Director Mr. Joseph Walugembe, Muduuma Kwe Kwaffe will after the July 3rd premiere continue to show twice every Saturday and Sunday at the Theatre until August 3, 2010.
Tickets are already on sale at the National Theatre Box Office for 10,000 Shillings.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Latino Flavour
Friday, June 25, 2010
URGENT: BBC Searching for Actors in Uganda!!
Hardly a week after three Ugandan playwrights scooped the 2010 BBC African Performance Playwriting Competition, the BBC production team is already in Kampala looking for actors to feature in these award-winning radio plays. There are eleven roles in all:..................................................
Actors will be paid a daily rate between 300,000 and 700,000 Ugandan shillings depending on experience. The auditions will take place here at the National Theatre tomorrow Saturday 26th June 2010, 10 a.m.-12 noon. This is a grand opportunity; if you don't grab it don't say you didn't know!!
- Seven male (all ages)
- Four female (three of them 20s, one any age.)
In a story titled "A Chance to Reap from Uganda's Literary Heroics as BBC Arrives," Daily Monitor's Tabu Butagira reports of BBC's optimism to find great Ugandan actors. The story in full below:
A BBC director and producer will tomorrow be at the National Theatre in Kampala, auditioning and producing plays written by award-winning Ugandans.
On Monday, Nobel Laureate in Literature, Prof. Wole Soyinka, picked Ms Deborah Asiimwe, author of Will Smith Look Alike, as the best at the 50th edition of the British public broadcaster's African Performance Play Writing Competition.
Ms Angella Emurwon came third with The Cow Needs A Wife, offering Ugandans the first sweeping chance to topple Nigerians who dominated the awards in the past half century.
"But even more important, we want to tap into local talent and are confident we will find great Ugandan actors," said BBC World Service Drama Director Catherine Fellows.
Acclaimed creative writer, Prof. Soyinka, while picking the winners, said: "I don't know whether Ugandans think they want to knock Nigerians out of this competition because Nigerians used to take everything but this year, no show."
Director Fellows and Technical Producer Neva Missirian will drive tomorrow's midday event at the National Theatre, Ms Mary Lusiba, BBC's head of marketing and communications in Africa, announced in Nairobi yesterday.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
BREAKING NEWS: Ugandans Scoop All the Prizes in the 2010 BBC Playwriting Competition!!!
"Yes, this is she." And I am thinking, no one in my family speaks with such a strong British accent! Now what is this?
"My name is Vera..." the voice says, "....and I am calling from the BBC."
I hesitate. Why would the BBC be calling me? As my thoughts are still racing, Vera interrupts me. "Do you have any idea why BBC would be calling you?"
I am about to say "NO. Not at all!", then, it clicks! The script I submitted a while back. That must be it! I rumble something to her...I can't quite remember what I said, but I did mention that I submitted a script to BBC. Vera laughs. Silence. I wait. We wait for either of us to break the silence. My heart in my throat, my veins popping out of my skin; she breaks the silence: "Congratulations Deborah! Your play Will Simith Look Alike won the BBC African Performance 2010 Playwriting competition!"
Monday, June 7, 2010
Today at National Theatre
Friday, June 4, 2010
Saturday June 5, 7:30 p.m.
The classic theatre musical, Aladdin, comes to the National Theatre in Kampala, thanks to the International School of Uganda's Production of Disney's 'Aladdin Jr.' Music by Alan Menken. Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. Book adapted and additional lyrics by Jim Luigs. Music adapted and arranged by Bryan Louiselle based on the screenplay by Ron Clements and John Musker, Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio. Tickets on sale at the National Theatre Box Office; Adults -10,000Shs, Children -5,000Shs. This is one of those rare shows you don't want to miss!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
SILENCE VITAL FOR EVERY BELIEVER
I have no doubt the time I spent upcountry during the festive season revived my life. One of the things I enjoyed a great deal was freedom from noise. I was in a village with no telecom network, no internet, no discos, no batembeyi, and not many vehicles. The calm I felt gave me an atmosphere to evaluate my life in 2009 and to plan better for 2010. The peace I got reminded me what a gift silence can be! From the first century saints, through the ascetics of the middle ages, to the most recent saints of Padre Pio’s time, “Quiet Time” has been part of the life-style of the great men and women of God.
Each one of us needs to create some personal time. This is something I emphasize in my book "TOUCHING HEAVEN, RAZING HELL!" You need some uninterrupted time for yourself, if possible everyday. This is what I call "Me-Alone-Time". A time to reflect on your achievements, failures, weaknesses and strengths. A time to evaluate your past, meditate on the present and plan your future. A moment to take unrushed decisions for the good of your spiritual, marital or work life. Don’t say you have no time for silence; you have exactly the same number of hours in a day like the Pope and yet he gets time off his busy schedule to reflect on his life. 2010 is not a year of excuses; it’s a year of action.
Bake is an author, and Managing Director,
Contact: bakerobert@yahoo.com / 0712-868424.
Monday, April 19, 2010
SUCCESS IS ACHIEVABLE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD
BAKE, for the last 10 years I’ve been chasing a UK Visa in vain. I have prayed and fasted but God has forsaken me. Now I know I am going to die a poor man,” my friend recently lamented. I was about to tell him not to be foolish, but I did not because I realized he was simply a victim of a crippling mindset. No wonder Saint Paul urges us to be transformed by renewing our minds daily.
This young man is just one of the many captives that have postponed living and are languishing in self-created limbo, waiting to start enjoying life when their dream of going abroad comes true.
It’s funny how some people struggle to leave a country that others are struggling to enter. While you may struggle to go to India to make money, hundreds of Indians entering Uganda are prospering!
When Winston Churchill thought of calling our motherland the Pearl of Africa, he had seen many treasures in this land.
How did the Bitatures, the Wavas, the Mukwanos make their money? And how many Ugandans have returned from South Africa, America, UK, without even enough money for a ticket back?
The belief that you can only succeed from abroad is part of a poverty/failure mindset that must be overcome.
I have a strong conviction that a person prepared to succeed will always succeed anywhere in the world. I remember reading about a man who was once a millionaire. All his factories were destroyed during war and he fled to another country as a refugee without anything. However, within two years, he was a millionaire again! This implies that his success was in his mind.
God has given each of us talents and gifts which, if used creatively and according to his purpose, will inevitably lead us to success. In this world there are people who wait for things to happen and there are those who make things happen. I am among the latter. How about you?
The writer is an author & Managing Director of World of Inspiration.
Contact: bakerobert@yahoo.com / 0712-868424
Friday, April 16, 2010
"The Rite of Spring" at the National Theatre
The "Pearl of Africa a Powerhouse of Art
The recent happenings on
Today, the media has opened more to promotion of local talent and the works of local authors. Designers are showcasing their works on every television station. Comedy shows are becoming more and more popular. Every minute a song is being produced in the studio. Talent search programs from every angle are taking place. Awards for distinguished artistes are being organized annually. All this is evidence that something new is happening. Something that the world should get ready for!
I have this conviction that
Monday, March 1, 2010
Message of Condolence
It's with utmost grief and shock that the Board, Management and Staff of the Uganda National Cultural Centre have learnt of the sudden death of Ms. Susan Bamutenda. The creative and performing arts fraternity will so miss her bright contribution particularly in the field of dance. Indeed, she'll be difficult to replace. Our sincerest condolences to her family, relatives and friends. We will always love and remember you, Susan. May the good and ever kind Lord rest your soul in enverlasting peace.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Butterflies of Uganda
Because it's drawn from real life, Butterflies of Uganda is closer home that you can imagine. Beyond the powerful symbolism behind the title, the story is as sobering as this line from the script can get: "Let me tell you a story. I was conceived in rape." That's all I can reveal now because I don't want to spoil the broth for you.
And in case you have watched Butterflies of Uganda and you are not the kind that twice watches a film, then fret not! On the same menu, we also have Waiting for my Tractor, a short film by Theatre Factory. I've not watched the film but if what is written on the jacket can be trusted, then it's one hilarious film:
"Waiting for my Tractor is all about hope and tells us that our dreams can come true if we appreciate that there are others with similar goals, identify them and work with them towards overcoming our blockades and enjoying the fruits of taking action..."
I don't know about you but as for me, it is with unbated breath that I'm looking forward to watching these films at the National Theatre tomorrow and on Sunday, once again at 3:00 and 7:00pm
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Black Mamba at the National Theatre
Thursday, February 4, 2010
'The Meet' in their 4th Poetry Recital at National Theatre
Jam Session Is Not In Jeopardy
He didn't consult me or the director of this institution to cross-check his story for purposes of objectivity, accuracy, fairness and truth as the journalism profession demands.
The Monday night Jam Session has been a popular part of the entertainment menu since 1989, with urban people flocking to the National Theatre to enjoy a combo of live music and performances. As such, it cannot drift away just like that.
The scrupulous truth is that the Jam Session is undergoing a revolution for musical arrangements and live performances that will rhyme with the international definition of "a jam session."
Of essence is nurturing performers and helping others attain professionalism and global appeal. The regular performers and patrons were informed about this re-branding process way in advance; they endorsed the idea and are looking forward to a fresh Jam Session, new equipment, improved security, great partnerships, star performances and, most of all, an artistic soul that will serve as a role model to the entire industry here and across the border.
p.s. This response can be read in today's online edition of the The Observer as well.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Authors' Forum Comes to the National Theatre
Friday, January 15, 2010
Keiga Dance Company and Sebunjo Bring their Magic to National Theatre
Sebunjo, who's a main feature, is that World Music-ian prodigy you cannot afford to miss! Armed with a musicology degree (he majored in Ethnomusicology –the study of world cultures and their music), a voice to match and dexterous at playing percussion instruments of all modes, Bunjo as he's popularly known among his bulk of fans, is a sensation here and abroad.