By simeon mpamugoh
The grand finale of the second Beeta Playwright Competition (BPC), organised by Beeta Universal Arts Foundation (BUAF), led by the award-winning actress and producer, Bikiya Graham-Douglas, will hold on January 30, 2019, at MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.
The competition pooled 348 entries from playwrights across the country. Panel of judges for the prize award include journalist and arts critic, Shaibu Husseini; theatre director, Kenneth Uphopho; veteran actress, Ego Boyo; theatre producer and writer, Ayo Jaiyesinmi; publisher and bookseller, Ibiso Graham-Douglas; with the award-winning playwright, Professor Ahmed Yerima, as the jury Chair.
The panel is tasked with selecting the best play from the 10 shortlisted plays from the following playwrights: Shehu Zock-Sock (Tick Tock More Talk), Rukee Ejigbo (Mr. Macaroni), Joshua Alabi (Beyond the Wig), Ubonla Adenike (Echoes of the Drum), Abdul-Qudus Ibrahim (Jagagba), Kehinde Ademoye (A Love Like This), Ekpeno Ukut (Room 7), Kelvinmary Ndukwe (Transparent), El Osas Iyalekhue (Shark Boy), and Elias Ozikpu (Queen Akhadze).
The finalists had a training session, facilitated by Yerima, Uphopho, and Ibiso Graham-Douglas at MUSON Centre. The winner will be announced at the grand finale on Wednesday, January 30, 2019, starting at 12 pm.
The winner will go home with N1 million prize money, a publishing deal with PaperWorth Books Limited, as well as having the play produced by BUAF at Terra Kulture Arena. Also, a campus tour to selected universities across the country is form part of the deal for winning the prize.
The competition is sponsored by Union Bank and supported by WAPIC Insurance Plc, NIMASA, Terra Kulture, Olajide & Oyewole LLP, and British Council.
Beeta Universal Arts Foundation is Nigeria’s foremost organisation focused on developing the arts through storytelling, education, and advocacy. BUAF has created platforms for hundreds of young artists in developing their craft through production, education and, competitions and has also produced many plays.
According to the BUAF’s founder, Graham-Douglas, “Our first edition was very successful, with the winning play, Our Son the Minister, produced many times across the country. Our winner Paul Ugbede worked with the biggest producers in Nigerian theatre and has also been shortlisted for the African Playwriting competition.
“One of our finalists Soji Cole went on to win The Nigeria Prize for Literature 2018, with his play, Embers. We are excited to unveil the winner of the second Beeta Playwright Competition and look forward to exciting times ahead.”