Young Theatre Makers awards nominations out
The Young Theatre Makers Awards nominations spearheaded by Light of Youth Creative Organisation (Lyco) through the National Schools Youth Arts Festival (Nasfest) are out.
Lyco each and every year awards the outstanding performers in the theatre industry through the Young Theatre Makers Awards.
One of the players, who is part of the selection team, Bright Tchayatchaya, said voting opened on January 1 2020 and that it will close on January 31 2020.
The nominations has 10 categories which include Best Overall Production, Best Playwright, Best Emerging Theatre Group, Best Theatre Group, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Director.
On the Best Overall Production, the plays on the list are Wasted Adjectives by YDC Theatre, Sometimes in July by Umunthu Theatre and Voices from the Grave by Young Travellers.
TheBest ActorcategoryhasJack Msumba from YDC, Vitumbiko Zgambo from Umunthu and Enoch Lunyetto Nyirenda, an artist based in Lilongwe while on the Best Actress category, the list has Theodhora Maliwa, Roselyn Dzanja and Miriam Phiri.
On Best Director, the list has Ignatious Kaphinde, who is the brains behind Dzuwa Arts, Imran Shabaan, who is the director of Young Travellers Theatre and Pleasant Theodora Banda.
Tchayatchaya said Thursday that the awards were not only meant to recognize the people who have done exceptionally well in the theatre arena but also push for more from the youthful theatre practitioners to challenge themselves with great art development.
“By the end of the day, when winners will be announced theatre will be the ultimate victor,” Tchayatchaya said.
He added that voting as a criteria for selection, the winner provides the nominee a platform and motivation to publicise themselves.
“This pushes them to prove to the people voting to really vote for them. So, it’s more of a publicity strategy that builds the individual as a brand,” Tchayatchaya said.
Meanwhile Lyco Executive Director, James Kitchen, has said they are making preparations for the main event coming up next month.
He said the festival is now called Nasfest International Youth Arts and that it is slated for February 7-9 2020.
“We are ready for the main event and the nominations are a clear indication that we have made progress. The awards will be presented on February 9 2010,” Kitchen said.
