Ten emerging voices emerge from thousands of entries in the 7th edition of the annual contest for African theatre
The Beeta Universal Arts Foundation has announced the Top 10 Finalists of the 7th Beeta Playwright Competition, ahead of the announcement of this year’s winner.The finalists were selected from thousands of submissions. The foundation described the entries as “bold and brilliant” and said the finalists are playwrights, storytellers and changemakers whose work is helping to shape the future of African theatre.
The ten finalists, listed in no order of preference, are .
- Chioma Titilope
- Leonard Ifeanyi
- Opeyemi Ridwan
- Oyindamola Margaret
- Elias Ozikpu,
- Efe Ronald
- Akpovwovwo Emetekefe
- Chukwuma Chimdiebube
- Abath Ruth
- Erioluwa Popoola
Announcing the shortlist, the foundation said it wanted to spotlight more than the scripts themselves. It said it is highlighting the writers behind the stories, the journeys that shaped them and the passion that fuels their work. In its words, these are storytellers “with something to say,” whose stories “demand to be heard.”
The shortlist comes at a time when new African playwriting is drawing more attention from audiences and practitioners, and competitions like Beeta’s give emerging writers a route to recognition. Making the top ten out of thousands of entries is itself a significant achievement for any writer starting out.
The foundation framed the finalists as a group in its announcement, describing the moment as “10 voices. 10 stories.” It has not yet said when the winner will be revealed or what the top prize includes. Those details are expected in its next announcement.
The Beeta Playwright Competition is organised by the Beeta Universal Arts Foundation, which uses the platform to discover and promote writing for the stage.
For more information on the competition and finalists’ profiles check Beeta Universal Arts Foundation Facebook page under the hashtags #BeetaPlaywrightCompetition and #Top10Finalists.
BraveNigerians will follow the announcement of the winner and bring readers updates as they are released.
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