Reinventing the Golden Era of Ugandan Theatre

Muduuma Kwe Kwaffe to Premiere at the National Theatre this Saturday 

There a time was when indigenous plays were a favourite in theatre halls, and when school drama festivals were vibrant. This golden age of Ugandan theatre was orchestrated by distinct literary figures among others Robert Serumaga, Rose Mbowa, Byron Kawadwa and Wycliffe Kiyingi in the 60s to late 70s.

These dramatists became famous for powerfully constructed topical plays that provided rich entertainment as well as biting social satire so much the Kiyingi's hugely radio series, Wokulira, which began in 1962 were later banned by Idi Amin while Kawadwa was murdered because of his highly critical play, Oluyimba Lwa Wankoko.

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 Kampala. Kings College, Budo, set the pace in this regard with Shakespeare productions that actually inspired Kiyingi to establish the first all-African theatrical group, African Artists Association, in 1954 purposely to promote native drama.

Kiyingi's television series Buli Enkya, Buli Ekiro (1962), Gwosussa Emwanyi (1963) got multitudes hooked. In 1965, Kiyingi went to Bristol to study drama and on returning a year later continued doing what he loved most –writing and producing stage, radio and television dramas of enviable quality. His 1972 play, Lozio ba Cecilia, became a literature set book while Muduuma Kwe Kwaffe (1972) established him as playwright of indisputable distinction.

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 Uganda." And during celebrations to mark 50 years of the existence of the Uganda National Theatre earlier this year, the 80-year old Kiyingi was crowned as "Golden Artist" and his book, Muduuma kwe Kwaffe officially launched.

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 Uganda," says National Theatre Production Manager, Sam Okello. "It's a powerful production and we have heavily invested in as a way of setting the standard and provoking other theatre practitioners to promote our own plays and bring back the golden era of Ugandan theatre."

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 3^rd 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.

Latino Flavour

The intoxicating Latin Flavour is back in the National Theatre main auditorium. We are talking the classic Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, Rumba, Salsa, Mirenge, Cha-Cha, Jive, and Bachata on the same stage all evening! Sensual dancing at its best. If you love the BBC Entertainment's Strictly Come Dancing, you will certainly fall for this, and what's more, it's better by all acoounts! Come and get hypnotized for only 5,000 shillings this Wednesday, June 30th, at 5p.m., and every last Wednesday of the month.

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: 

• Seven male (all ages)
• Four female (three of them 20s, one any age.) 

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!!

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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.

Hers is a story of 17-year-old Tereka, travelling to New York with his school music group after they won a national competition, setting eyes to pursue a better life overseas due to his semblance to American actor, Will Smith.

Mr Kenneth Atwine and last year's winner Julia Childs tied in second position having authored Kitu Kidogo and The Coffin Factory, respectively.

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.

The plays; Kitu Kidogo and The Cow Needs a Wife require to be cast in authentic Ugandan sound since they are set in the country, according to the producers.

"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.

Announcing the prizes on Monday, the broadcaster said Uganda's impressive performance in this year's competition suggests a "flowering of literary talent” in the country."

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."

The broadcaster's Drama Producer Jenny Horrocks said this year's winning entries are "relevant to contemporary life and highly entertaining."

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.

"The BBC team will be looking out for talent with experience in radio, stage, TV or film," she said in a statement. Audiences across the world will have the opportunity to listen to the plays on BBC World Service from August 5 to September 9.

The broadcaster launched the playwriting competition, in which listeners are invited to compose a 30-minute English-language play containing no more than six characters, in 1971. And the winning entries are recorded and broadcast on BBC World Service for Africa.

That premiere competition in 1971 was judged by Prof. Soyinka, who as a way of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the BBC African Performance season, returned to judge this year's competition.

BREAKING NEWS: Ugandans Scoop All the Prizes in the 2010 BBC Playwriting Competition!!!

We are on top of the literary world after three Ugandan playwrights won the 2010 BBC African Performance Playwriting competition!

Deborah Asiimwe (in picture) took the top prize that comes with a financial reward of 1000 pounds for her play Will Smith Look Alike. The play which will be broadcast on BBC is about a student who travels to the United States with his school music group after they won a national competition, and believes that his resemblance to the American actor Will Smith will help him to pursue a better life there.

The second position was jointly snatched by Keneth Bashir Atwiine for Kitu Kidogo, a story about two corrupt policemen, and Julia Child's The Coffin Factory a hilarious play that addresses the stigma of HIV.

Angella Emurwon's The Cow Needs A Wife came third. It's a comical piece about a young man whose girlfriend discovers she is pregnant.

To scoop all the three top positions is a seismic achievement for Uganda considering that it knocked down Nigeria from the literary pedestal it had long enjoyed.

Prof. Wole Soyinka, who judged this year's competition commented: "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. I am glad of course I didn't know who on earth was writing which play."

The Nobel laureate added, "Deborah Asiimwe's writing was very good, and I became really caught up with the play wondering what the final denouement would be. It was convincing."

An excited Asiimwe, told me about the day BCC called to say she was the overall winner of the prestigious competition:

"May 10th 2010, about 11:00 am, I am at my desk in the Sundance Institute Office, located on Varick Street, Lower Manhattan , New York . My phone vibrates, it does not show the number and being me, I refuse to pick it up, hoping that someone would leave a message and I would call them back! It stops vibrating, no message comes through. Five minutes later, the phone vibrates again, still no number, again, I refuse to pick it up and again no message left. An hour later, the phone vibrates again! This time, I start thinking the worst. "It must be from home! This must be bad news!..Oh God, I hope not...oh my God...my mother just went through an eye operation...Oh my God...please let this not be bad news... "Pick it up!" As if some other voice is speaking through me. I pick up.   "Hello, this is Asiimwe! "From the other side comes a strong British accent; "Deborah?"

"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!"

This wasn't a dream. This was real, I was talking to someone from the BBC telling me that my play won the 2010 competition!? That I get a financial award on top of my play being broadcast on BBC? As I am trying to absorb all this, she says, "I should also mention that Wole Soyinka was the Judge of the competition and he is the one who got to select your play!" 

Wole Soyinka! A man whose writing was introduced to me in my secondary school days, he was one of the people whose work influenced me to write plays!! The thought of Wole Soyinka holding my script and actually reading it  thrills me.

I am so thankful because God has caused me to meet amazing people on my journey as a playwright. I have been privileged to work and be mentored by wonderful, giving, loving individuals. The support I have received from my former professors, some of my employers and colleagues has been extremely invaluable and I am forever grateful to God for directing me to this path."

This is not the first time that Ms. Asiimwe is earning recognition for her drama-tic prowess. Early this year, her play, Forgotten World, premiered at The School of Theater at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) where she attained her Master of Fine Arts Degree in Writing for Performance. A few months later, her new play, Cooking Oil, about an East African girl and foreign aid meant for her village, got a public reading in Manhattan . This play will in fact be staged at the National Theatre in Kampala later this year. I'll keep you updated. 

Today at National Theatre

The re-branded Jam Session has already picked fire and is blazing hot with live performances; stirring vocals, eclectic instruments; come enjoy the masters alongside the apprentices; performances with an artistic soul that serve as a role model to the entire industry here and across the border; a variety show to take your breath away! All for free starting 8p.m.!!!

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!