Culture of Kenya - Theatre

Theatre

Kenya annually holds a large drama event, the Kenya schools and colleges drama festival. The Kenya National Theatre is based in Nairobi opposite the Norfolk Hotel. Notable theatre performing groups include Eliud Abuto's Festival of Creative Arts that stages regular stage performances at both the Kenya National Theatre and Alliance Francaise, Phoenix Players based at the Professional Centre, Heartsrings Ensemble and Mombasa Little Theatre Club based in Mombasa. Notable names on the Kenyan theatre scene include the late actresses Stella Awinja Muka and Anne Wanjugu. Renowned director Tirus Gathwe cut a niche for himself and is perhaps the most well known theatre directors in Kenya today. In the late 1990s through the early 2000s, the late Wahome Mutahi followed in the footsteps of the legendary Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o when he, through Igiza Productions, teamed up with Tirus Gathwe and embarked on a project dubbed "taking Theatre to the people" which saw them stage numerous productions, mainly political Satires, at nightspots throughout the country. Other notable directors include Festival of Creative Arts's Carole Odongo and Mbeki Mwalimu, as well as Mumbi Kaigwa who are currently the only female directors in Kenya. George Mungai of Phoenix, Keith Pearson, Sammy Mwangi, John Sibi-Okumu and Victor Ber are directors worth noting.