By Joyce O Bekoe, GNA
Accra, Oct 08, GNA – The National Theatre is
taking deliberate steps towards transforming the Ghana Theatre Festival into an
international event, Mrs. Amy Appiah Frimpong, the Executive Director, has
announced.
The goal, she said, was to make it global –
attract participation of artistes and patrons from across the world.
The festival, initiated in 2014, is a
celebration of the country’s culture and music.
The curtains were drawn down on this year’s
edition, the fifth to be held, on September 29.
“Nurturing and Growing Artistic Voices”, was
the theme chosen for the 2019 festival, which turned out to be one of the most
impactful – reaching out to both the young and old, rich and poor, literate and
illiterate.
The festival was packed with thrilling,
magnificent and spectacular performances -poetry, dance, drama, comedy, live
painting, film shows and evening classical.
The productions were simply amazing.
Some of those programs were specially
tailored for schools, not only to entertain them, but also to encourage the
children to play and explore – to help them to learn and develop socially,
emotionally, physically and intellectually, and to cherish the Ghanaian
culture.
The tall list of groups that participated
included the National Dance Company, National Drama Company, National Symphony
Orchestra, Dance Department (University of Ghana), FC Productions, Village
Minds and Ehahakasa.
There were also the side attractions –
exhibitions by the Ghana Association of Visual Artists which aimed not only at
promoting traditional and contemporary arts but to also expose the cultural
realities of the country,
Mrs. Appiah Frimpong said the theatre
festival was facilitating cultural integration, providing a forum for exchange
of ideas among stakeholders, and platform for the performing arts groups and
potential artistes to exhibit their works and talents.
The National Theatre is making enormous
contribution to the development of the arts and culture in Ghana and beyond.
The expectation is that corporate Ghana and
individuals would offer strong support by way of sponsorship to promote its
brilliant and well-coordinated productions to help fulfill its mandate.
GNA
