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County Theatre Fiesta

County Theatre Fiesta 2024

Kenya Cultural Centre Incorporating the Kenya National Theatre in partnership with the Kenya International Theatre Festival Trust with support from the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund (SASDF) will be running a theatre capacity building & competition program for 10 select counties in within 6 Training Centers:

Train and nurture theatre talents at the county level

Promote Theatre awareness within counties

Encourage a theatre-going culture in Kenyan counties

Select theatre groups from the counties to perform at the Kenya International Theatre Festival (KITFest2024)

 

The program will train theatre companies by holding a 10-day training in 6 select training centers before the Gala Edition, at the Kenya National Theatre during KITFest2024. The theme of this years CTF is “Embracing Diversity, Inspiring Change: Theatre as a Catalyst for Social Transformation,” which emphasizes the role of theatre in raising awareness about the social issues and the need for collective action to address them The Program shall commence in September and end in October. For this years’ program only theatre companies/groups from the following counties are eligible to register: Mombasa, Kiambu, Embu, Nakuru, Kisumu, Uasin Gishu, Siaya, Migori, Nyeri and Lamu

Proposed Timelines & Schedules

1. Open Call for Participants: 5th August

2. Close Call for Participants: 18th August

3. Program Start Date: 13th September

4. Program End Date: 20th October

5. Winning Teams Gala: November #KITFest2024

Sauti Za Boma

The Sauti Za Boma program is an extension of the Kenya International Theatre Festival (KITFest) audioplay masterclass and residency programs conducted in 2022 and 2023. This initiative aims to transfer knowledge from previously trained audio play artists to new artists and build new audio play skills by training artists from marginalized communities outside the capital city. These artists will learn to narrate their unique stories in their local contexts, languages, and cultures. The program builds on the success of a two-year collaboration between the Kenya International Theatre Festival Trust and Pro Helvetia, which imparted essential skills and knowledge to artists in developing and producing audio plays.

Seeking to further build on the exchange and collaboration between Switzerland and Kenya, Sauti Za Boma will leverage this experience by working closely with Erik Altofer, the lead facilitator of the audioplay masterclasses, through online training sessions. Ten artists from Erik’s previous masterclass and residency program will conduct similar and more engaging sessions in five local communities across Kenya. Six artists will be selected from each region and assigned two trained artists as their trainers. They will be tasked with creating at least two audio plays, resulting in ten new audio plays by the end of the program. The program aims to incorporate original music composed by musicians from the communities.

Target Age Group

The program seeks to merge two generations, specifically youths aged 20-30 and older adults aged 40-60. This intergenerational approach aims to present community stories from diverse perspectives, fostering a rich exchange of experiences and insights. Each team from each region will have a participant number of 6 individuals, who will be guided by 2 select facilitators from Kenya, as led by Erik.

Proposed Timelines & Schedules

1. Open Call for Participants: 5th August

2. Close Call for Participants: 18th August

3. Facilitators Virtual Session: 30th August

4. Program Start Date: 13th September

5. Program End Date: 20th October

6. Audio Installation Launch: 5th November (KITFest2024)

KITFest Monologue Challenge

Summary KITFest Monologue challenge is an initiative of the KITFest Stager Program seeking to engage theatre performing artists across Kenya in a monologue challenge leading up to live monologue performances. The program aims to identify, celebrate, and nurture unique performance talent within the Kenyan theatre industry while simultaneously promoting KITFest and enhancing its visibility on a national scale. Participants will register for the challenge, perform monologues, and share them on social media platforms to generate engagement. The best performers will be selected for a live final event, integrating live recordings and audience. The program will be led by the Festival Ambassador with guidance from the festival management team.

Proposed Timelines & Schedules

1. Challenge Official Announcement: 5th August

2. Challenge Registration Closing: 18th August

3. Challenge Starting: 13th September

4. Challenge Ending: 20th October

5. Announcing Shortlisted Champs for the Gala: 25th October

6. Challenge Finals: 17th November

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