Damiete Braide
The 14th edition of the Jos Festival of Theatre, themed “Building Connections”, will hold at Alliance Francaise, Jos, Plateau State, beginning from March 9-14, 2020. The festival is sponsored by the United State’s Mission Nigeria, Grand Cereals Limited, the International Performer’s Aid Trust, Jos Business School, and the Czech Embassy. The festival promises to be an interesting and exciting week in Jos, Plateau State.
The festival has fast become a nurturing ground for Nigerian artists to showcase their talents and creativity through a Nigerian and international repertory. This year’s festival will feature riveting plays, as well as a variety of workshops for the Arts community. There will be trainings in acting, dance, film production, and arts management which will take place during the day while theatrical performances take place in the evenings.
Mr. Ezekiel Gomos, Chief Executive Officer of Jos Business School will lead one of the workshops on artistes and managing their finances during the festival. The workshops will include facilitators from Lagos, Kaduna and Jos respectively.
The Jos Festival’s plays present poignant messages concerning relationships, marriage, politics, revolt, and the abuse of power over the week of performances.
The 2020 edition will showcase directing skills of five directors namely Kalbang Afsa-Walshak, Jumoke Alice Laka-Fasakin, Seyi Lovingkindness Babalola, Sunny Adahson and Dr. Patrick-Jude Oteh. The play, Wat’s Dis All About, is coming in from Lagos after performances at the MUSON Festival and the Lagos Fringe Festival 2019.
Two American classics will feature in the 2020 festival. These are Edward Albee’s Who is Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and August Wilson’s Seven Guitars. These plays have earned their place in the history of American Theatre. Who is Afraid of Virginia Woolf? rates as one of the longest running plays on Broadway. Jerry Alagbaoso returns to the festival with his latest play, Let My Husband Be, a satire on households and the machinations of extramarital affairs with a generous dose of religious expectations.
Professor Femi Osofisan’s early play, A Restless Run of Locusts, is on the festival playlist with its study of politics, politicians and the extent they go to win elections. Yahaya Dangana, the author of highly acclaimed, award winning The Royal Chamber, will feature in the festival with The Emir’s Secret, a story about betrayal, court secrets and abuse of power.
The 14th Jos Festival of Theatre 2020 is marking the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Jos based Theatre outfit which has performed over 100 plays in its period of existence alongside other activities that have made the organisation to be relevant within the Arts
