More efforts for Misheck Mzumara on World Theatre Map
Actor and drama lecturer at Mzuzu University, Misheck Mzumara, continues his efforts of engaging fellow artists in the country to be part of the World Theatre Map and share their stories and experiences.
Mzumara, who has starred and directed several productions, said yesterday that, through the World Theatre Map, artists have opportunities to tell their stories to the worldand, at the same time, earn income.
According to available information, the World Theatre Map is known worldwide and is a user-generated digital directory and real time map of the global theatre community.
“I am happy that, since I introduced the World Theatre Map, a lot of artists have come out and joined and some have put up their events there which is good. However, there is need for them to write about their experiences in theatre; hence, my coming out again,” Mzumara said.
He said he has been holding sessions with fellow artists on this and that he is targeting more players in the theatre industry across the country.
“I am making efforts now to have reading sessions so that people can share their stories and also get to see what other African theatre players have written. Through this, many can learn and then start gaining the confidence to start writing,” Mzumara said.
He said, with technology at an advanced stage, he has also generated topics through the social media and that one of the topics is arts entrepreneurship.
The actor said the World Theatre Map is a platform open to everyone and all types of theatre-makers, theatre companies, and theatre institutions around the world.
Mzumara is currently the World Theatre Map Ambassador for Malawi.
“As an ambassador I am calling upon artists in the country to join this platform for free. This is a forum where you can get connected to all theatre makers from all over the world,” he said.
Mzumara said on this forum, artists create their profiles of their drama groups or organisations.
“Once you create a profile, it will immediately become a part of the searchable directory. Artists can add information about shows they have worked on or will be working on. Show profiles will display all of the production history,” he explained.
He also said that artists can search the ever growing directory to discover and connect to organisations, people, shows and events.
“There is also a lot of vital information concerning theatre. This information comes from theatre makers from all over the world and Malawian artists can contribute to this information,” Mzumara said.
The actor then encouraged theatre artists to participate in the World Theatre Map by also writing essays about theatre where they could earn money ranging from $50 to $150.
The World Theatre Map was launched in January 2017 and one of its founders is Vijay Mathew, who is a cultural strategist.
Its aims to achieve a rich diversity and large quantity of information about theatre organisations, theatre-makers, and events as well as engage a diverse and large quantity of theatre-makers who are accessing this knowledge resource.
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