FOLLOWING my unannounced recess of four weeks, I am back on the saddle to stir the column; and found loads of stories, and accounts but want without much ado to echo the NATAAZ national chairperson’s brawny statement that the suspended theatre festival now takes place from December 18 to 20.
Boyd Chibale said his National Theatre Arts Association of Zambia – NATAAZ team has significantly gone flat out to exert their energies in rallying up financial and material resources; hence the three-day festival is schemed to be a resounding success at Lusaka Playhouse.
Boyd has reaffirmed, and called upon theatre groups saying the festival takes place in the next four days. He admitted that for now the festival has somewhat, intentionally been rebranded to rekindle Christmas memories appealing to theatre goers to turn up each day of the festival.
The NATAAZ chief said, “The much anticipated National Jubilee Senior Theatre Festival is now set for December 18 – 20, 2014 with a few alterations to suit the mood of the festivities of Christmas,” admittedly saying the key reason for postponing, contrary to public perception, was not only because of the untimely demise of President Michael Sata, but largely due to the lack of resources.
“The suspension was mainly as a result of a huge deficit in the budget. However, the National Executive Committee is now determined and confident that the insufficiency will be met and the festival will go ahead as envisioned beginning this week.”
According to Boyd the theatre body remains optimistic, and sanguine, and that the Ministry of Tourism and Arts through its Departments of Culture and the National Arts Council will come to the aid of the forthcoming event.
And Boyd reminisced, “NATAAZ is greatly indebted to the late President Michael Sata who particularly established the ministry of Tourism and Arts to take care of the arts. Sata was in the process of rejuvenating the National Arts Council into a Commission in order to offer the arts unwavering financial support, but we remain to see how much such support will come from the leadership that has remained.”
And General Secretary Isaac Kalumba reemphasized that theatre groups attending the festival should pay the stipulated bills; affiliation, participation and individual membership fees before arriving at the festival failure to which groups will not be allowed to participate in the event.
As a result, the general secretary counseled group leaders to have by now confirmed participation in order to help facilitate the programming of performances and other activities such as workshops and discussions. He added that scripts and cast lists should be among the submitted details.
Isaac said it was expected the Minister of Tourism and Arts, Hon Jean Kapata will be the guest of honor during the official opening of the festival on 19 December at 14.00 hours.
So far Isaac said seventeen theatre groups have intimated attending the festival, advising that if they could only meet the logistical requirements, all were welcome.
The theatre groups that have already shown interest are NAPSA, Bantu, Matero, Kasama Arts Theatre, Premier Arts, Africa Directions, Nkwazi, Tapheza, and Dafloyd Brain Movers of Kabwata in Lusaka.
Others are ZANASE, Gracious Dzeko Memorial Theatre, Nkana – Kitwe Arts Society, Chingola Arts Society, Mufulira Arts Council, Luanshya Municipal Council Cultural group, Nakonde, and Mwansabombwe Arts Theatre Ensemble.
He further added that a time-schedule for all performances will be available after 15 December, and that groups should adhere to the schedule.
While I am highly expectant that NATAAZ will receive financial support and successfully carry on with the festival; other questions arise, what has happened to the Ngoma Awards ceremony?
Surely the public need to know what has transpired; has it folded up due to lack of funds, or have the organisers merely gone to sleep? I will need responses to these questions or else I am made to wrongly or rightly believe there is something fishy somewhere!
We now have a Ministry of Tourism and Arts, hence I am made to believe things should be looking up!
Further, my mind is upbeat, restless, heavily laden with numerous unanswered queries; are the Zambia Folk Dance and Music Society (ZAFODAMUS) and the Zambia Popular Theatre Alliance (ZAPOTA) in existence? What activities are they carrying out or am I just left out from what ZAFODAMUS and ZAPOTA are doing?
What about the Zambia Women Writers’ Association? Isn’t the National Arts Council not merely supporting parasite organizations?
These and more questions came flooding my mind simply because the Zambia Association of Musicians (ZAM), the Visual Arts Council (VAC) the National Association of Media Arts (NAMA) and NATAAZ’s activities are alluringly visible, yet pitted against other dormant arts associations, or funds available and equitably shared, these active associations get peanuts due to the inactivity of these others. I am certain, there is very little going on in ZAFODAMUS, ZAPOTA, while the Zambia Adjudicators’ Panel is in a not-so-well explained backyard too! But again why should we have such problems when the minister concerned is around?
Meanwhile, Patrick Mwamba Salubusa said Marketing 50 Years Old Zambia through Media Arts has been the main theme for this year’s National Media Arts (NAMA) celebrations and that the topic is in line with the commemoration of Zambia’s Golden Jubilee and the belief that filmmaking was the quickest way to market the country and its tourism potential.
The media arts festival held last week displayed six feature films, five Zambian and one foreign, as well as three short films, and will equally display three radio dramas.
As you read this column recipient of awards would have displayed them in their homes; the awards earmarked given out were Augustine Lungu Award for the best creative presenter whose finalists include Innocent Kalaluka, Master Chimba and Lulu Haangala, the Mofya Chisenga award for the most entertaining TV Programme finalists are Born and Bread, Ready for Marriage and Smooth Talk.
Others awards were the Danny ‘Sausande’ Kanengoki award for the best screen actor been eyed by Owas Mwape (Minister’s House), Evans Nkoya (Beautiful Lie) and Erick Madikita in Isaac’s Melody. Cassie Kabwita (in Guilty), Catharine Soko (Foolish Me) and Zodwa Khumalo in Beautiful Lie are vying for the Agnes Mulimbika award for best actress.
The Joseph ‘Bokseni’ Mwale for the best radio actor there are Laston Moyo (Ginja-Sewero), Peter Chungu (Shimpundu Bulasho in Ifyabukaya) and Bernard Mweetwa in Hamaleke Chisobano.
For the Joseph Kabwe award for the best radio drama nominees are Sewero, Ifyabukaya and No Way Out while the Patrick Magoro award for the best radio producer are Danazio Phiri, Chileshe Kanganja nd Wellington Moyo. The Chali Shilengwa award for the best cinematographer has Jones Nasilele in Isaac’s Melody, Maynard Muchangwe (Guilty) and Frank Sibbuku (Red Bag).
The Graig Lungu award for the best screen writer nominees are Mingeli Palata (Beautiful Lie), Becky Ngoma (Love Games) and Jonas Mumba for Shimaini the Rock Breaker. The Manda Mwila award for the best screen director nominees are Fred Phiri (Love Games), Frank Sibbuku (Red Bag) and Foolish Me in which Richard Msimuko features.
For the Joemwa Mtsinje Mwale screen comedy award three nominees are vying for the award; Red Bag, Sempya Mukalale and The Minister’s House. And for the Godfrey ‘Kapotwe’ Mwape best short film award, nominees are Before I Die, Nkuku and Emmanuel.
For the Isaac Mulinda best Media Arts, Film and TV Creativity Award reporter, and jostling for the award are Abigail Sitenge (The Post), Kelvin Kachingwe (Zambia Daily Mail) and Times of Zambia’s Sam Phiri.
I am sad that the other week I missed Chingola Arts Society’s play Evans Kalandanya’s The Councilors File, and believe the planned visit of the same play to other Copperbelt towns will materialise and give me an opportunity to catch up with the play. Will Moses Chabinga, the man behind the production please let me know.
I missed too, the three-day Arterial Networking workshop at ZAMCOM lodge, and hope the organizers will invite me again next time. I am waiting to hear from Andrew Mulenga the Zambia chapter chairperson or possibly from the Zambia ArtWatch and Southern Africa coordinator Musola Catherine Kaseketi and share with us what transpired. Let me hear from you guys.
Oh, there has been much more to talk about, meanwhile, this festival period is the right time for the preparations of light plays, comedies, pantomimes, concerts and the like. Thank you to all those who missed the column, and wrote in to ask what had happened. I particularly want to mention Edward Lange who said he subscribed for the Sunday Times deliberately to read this column, and I recall a concerned Vivien Wamala Silwamba, a veteran actress presently living in Ndola who called to query about the same.
The column is back now. Read on.
John.kapesa818@yahoo.co.uk – 0955-0967-0977-710975.