Entertainment
All you need to know about Ghana Theatre Festival 2023
The National Theatre of Ghana will host the 8th edition of its Ghana Theatre Festival from 26th September to 1st October 2023, with a theme: “Celebrating Ghanaian culture and heritage through partnerships and linkages.”
The annually celebrated Arts Festival is a unique event designed to feature the work of different artists and performing arts groups in Ghana, by offering them the platform to exhibit their works and talents and to build their capabilities in Theatre Production.
The Arts Festival also offers potential Theatre audiences diverse quality productions at an affordable cost, and hopefully builds a dedicated audience for theatre events at the National Theatre and Ghana as a whole.
The Ghana Arts Festival is loaded with varied theatrical products intended to thrill patrons.
Events lined up for the festival include a Theatre programme for schools (Son of Umbelle), a fashion show, a film show, Stand-up Comedy, drama and an art exhibition to showcase authentic artefacts and other made-in-Ghana products.
Other events are “GHROBICS “, an aerobic exercise performed through the use of traditional dances fused with drumming and music for a total body workout to improve physical fitness and overall sense of well-being.
GHROBICS also helps one to acquire traditional dance and movement skills.
The Festival will be heralded by a special total theatre performance featuring all three resident groups of the National Theatre, (National Dance Company, National Symphony Orchestra, and National Drama Company) on September 29, 2023, at 7 p.m.
The production, EFU PƆNKƆ is a folk story based on music composed by the late Bob Cole “Edwen dee ereye me.”
Other participating groups in the Festival are Agape Arts Production, 2 idiots production, Department of Fashion Design and Textiles ( Accra Technical University), Ghana Academy of Films and Television Arts, EN Academy, Addis Dance, 2 Cute Entertainment, Robdy’s Production, and Visual Arts Students Empowerment Project.
With productions for different ages in all performing arts areas there is bound to be a production to meet your needs. The Theatre for Development production targets audiences including basic and senior high school students, and there are other productions for tertiary students and adults with a passion for the performing arts.
All productions within the festival have a goal of projecting positive National values and towards the National Theatre’s efforts to fulfill its mandate, “to develop and promote the performing arts in Ghana.”
Entertainment
Ghana need industry bank to fund talents — Rocky Jigga
Ghanaian UK-based afrobeat singer, Emmanuel Rocky Gyeniaw Jnr known in entertainment circles as Rocky Jigga has expressed the need for an industry bank to fund talents.
According to him, this will help Ghanaian musicians to compete effectively with their foreign counterparts.
Rocky Jigga believes that many talented musicians have coiled back into their shells due to funding challenges.
“There’s more room for improvement. The industry needs more investors from both the government and private sector at large. We need an industry bank that funds talents, events and everything entertaining,” he said.
Rocky Jigga recently released ‘Slow Down,’ featuring Ball J.
The song which came with its video was produced by B Boat and it emphasised a man’s preference for an ideal woman irrespective of the size.
Entertainment
Israel Ofori releases ‘My Everything’ single
Gospel artist, Israel Ofori has released a new single titled ‘My Everything.’
The song is already making waves on various music platforms.
Speaking to The Spectator after the release, he said he was inspired by the words in Psalm 42 vs 1 “As the deer pants after water brooks, so pants my soul after thee, O God.”
He acknowledges God as his source, and everything, thereby encouraging all Christians and the human race to see God as their source.
In the song, Israel Ofori encourages Christians and lovers of gospel music to acknowledge God as their source of everything, saying “when you put God first, everything will align in favour.
“As 2025 unfolds it is important for people especially Christians to yearn for God and recognise Him as their source and everything,” adding that the song was timely and will help listeners in their daily walk with God and bring them to a point of surrender.”
The song is available on all digital platforms including Youtube, Boomplay, Spotify, Amazon and Apple music, Deezer and Tidal.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
