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
Okyeame Kwame is ENABLE Ambassador for World Bank, Solidaridad others
Decorated Ghanaian musician, Okyeame Kwame has been made ENABLE ambassador with World Bank, Solidaridad, REDD+, Forestry Commission and Tropenboss as partners.
The Enhancing Access to Benefits while Lowering Emissions (EnABLE) project in Ghana will complement the Emissions Reduction Programme and provide direct support to groups or constituencies that are excluded or likely to be excluded from the distribution of carbon and non-carbon benefits.
The project is implemented by Solidaridad in partnership with Tropenbos Ghana across six Hotspot Intervention Areas, (HIAs) in Ghana, with funding from the World Bank. Solidaridad will work in Ahafo-Ano, Sefwi- Wiawso/Bibiani, and Kakum HIAs, whilst Tropenbos focuses on Juaboso-Bia, Atiwa and Asutifi-Asunafo HIAs.
Okyeame Kwame has been selected because of his active engagement in climate change and environmental issues in Ghana and internationally.
As part of his roles, Okyeame kwame will compose a dedicated Enable song and jingles which will be used to support climate finance benefit sharing inclusivity.
In that vain, he will also engage communities in inclusivity awareness creation and help amplify the voices of the marginalized in climate finance interventions.
The musician has also engaged on a similar project, the DGM Project, where he used his following and public influence to support awareness creation on climate change and sustainable land use.
It is expected that with this background, Okyeame is very well positioned to contribute to awareness creation on inclusive climate finance benefit sharing.
The marginalized people in the major cocoa growing areas where the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme was implemented, particularly women, youth, migrants and disabled will benefit from this project.
Enable seeks to drive inclusive climate finance benefit sharing. It is important for everyone to understand that participatory development also includes the need to ensure that the benefits of development interventions are not limited by socioeconomic and cultural exclusions.
Okyeame Kwame over the years has used his voice as instrument of change and advocacy for many project, and he is expected to impact lives with this project
Entertainment
Maiden AshantiFest held on Easter
The AshantiFest, instituted to mark Easter in the Ashanti Region, was marked a lot of entertaining activities.
According to the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, the idea to stage a festival was conceived after a request from some youth at a clean-up exercise.
“The whole concept of the Ashanti Festival is to bring out our various sectors, showcase what we have as a region and see how best we will be able to promote inter-sectorial support for each other,” he said.
The festival, which kick-started on April 12, commenced with a clean-up exercise in all the Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts in the Ashanti Region.
A football game between sports presenters and Kumawood actors sparked excitement in the region, and a boxing night followed at the Parade Grounds of KNUST.
There was also a stage play featuring Kumawoood All Stars in ‘Kejetia vs Makola was a highlight , offering both entertainment and though provoking moments.
At the Food Fair and Bazaar held at the Kumasi Cultural Centre, a variety of indigenous Ashanti food was on display, attracting many patrons within the city.
It offered the stage for other cultures to promote their cuisine. The Ghanaian traditional fabrics and locally manufactured clothing featured prominently at the event grounds.
A Science and Technology Fair was also featured as part of the education activities.
A blood donation exercise featured alongside the health screening exercise, which was also opened to the public.
Among the celebrities that graced the occasion were The CEO of the National Film Authority ,Kafui Danku, Actress Nana Ama Mac Brown, Nana Hayford, Funny Face and Kweku Manu.
Others were Bukom Banku, Vivian Jill, Wayoosi, Oboy Siki, Oheneba Jude and Sumsum Ahuofe.
Source; Myjoyonline
