IN a bid to safeguard the welfare of Harare Theatre Practitioners, the Association of Community Theatre Artists in Harare (Actah) this week held a general meeting at Zimbabwe Hall, Machipisa.
Report by Silence Charumbira
With over 15 representatives of community theatre groups attending as well as individual practitioners, the meeting was aimed at conscientising the artistes on the importance of insurance, medical aid and other crucial aspects.
Actah founding chairperson Tafadzwa Muzondo said they could not exhaust their agenda because the issues were extensively debated on. Another meeting is slated for Tuesday next week.
“We had a lot to chew and so the meeting was adjourned to next week Tuesday at 10am at the same venue,” he said.
He said most of the time was taken by insurance service providers who addressed the meeting.
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“We had representatives from Fidelity Mutual Life Medical Aid Society, Old Mutual, First Funeral Services, Moonlight and Fidelity Life who presented on their various respective packages,” said Muzondo. “A lot of time was taken by artistes in trying to understand how the insurance packages work and putting forward ideas for making a particular package that suits artists.”
Actah was formed in March this year with the aim of professionalising community theatre.
The association which is affiliated to the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe will see the large pool of artistes who in essence are the core of local theatre artistes start realising their dreams.
Already, they have started fostering partnerships with foreign theatre organisations like Association Internationale du Théâtre de l’Enfance et la Jeunesse/ International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People (Assitej) South Africa.
The partnership through Assitej Zimbabwe saw workshops being held in Harare targeted at schools, community theatre artistes and others that are interested in making theatre for children for young people.
Facilitated by Yvette Hardie who is the international president and Assitej South Africa director, the workshops also worked on the integration of visual effects into local theatre.
“Zimbabwean theatre has very good scripts, very good actors and storylines, but is poor in terms of the stage appearance,” Hardie said earlier this month.
“There are facets like shadow puppetry that are so minor and cheaper, but have brilliant results that can be inherited and that is what we want to teach the local practitioners.”