The Jos-based theatre organisation, Jos Repertory Theatre is set to host the 16th Jos International Festival of Theatre 2025 with the collaboration of USGEAAN, Plateau State Chapter. According to the festival director, Dr. Patrick-Jude Oteh and the Chairman of USGEAAN, Professor Pam Dung Sha, the festival will open on Friday May 16th and end on Tuesday May 20th at the expansive premises of the Alliance Francaise, Jos which is opposite the J. D. Gomwalk Building at the popular West of Mines, Jos.
Over the last decade the festival has become a nurturing ground for Nigerian artists to showcase their talents and creativity through a Nigerian and international repertory. The festival is featuring plays from Nigeria, Czech Republic, USA and Norway performed by Nigerian actors. The 2025 festival with the theme, Creating Theatre in these times will feature riveting plays as well as a series of artistic meetings and gatherings aimed at resuscitating NANTAP in Plateau State. There will be conversations around arts management fulfilling part of the objectives of one of the supporters of the festival, the DeVos Institute for Arts and Non-Profit Management. Two sets of interns from two Nigerian universities will benefit from this experiences.
The 2025 festival plays will present poignant messages concerning migration, marriage, politics, revolt, change and the abuse of power and economic inequalities over the five day’s performances.
The festival will also be introducing two directors, Uvie Giwewhegbe and Mark Musa who are writing and directing their own plays for the festival. While Mark Musa is a veteran of JRT’s training and performances over the last decade, the lady director, Uvie Giwewhegbe is making her debut in the festival. Among the other plays that will feature at the 2025 festival are the Czech classic, The Protest written by Vaclav Havel which is a sequel to Audience with which JRT toured Czech Republic in 2022, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge will also feature in the festival and this is the migration story of two Italian brothers gone sour on love’s wings and Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts will also feature in the festival as a Pidgin English adaptation retitled Spirit which has been adapted and directed by Osasogie Efe Guobadia, another veteran of JRT training and professional processes. All the plays will be performed in English and Spirit will be recorded and streamed live to an audience in Norway.
The festival receives support from DeVos Institute of Arts and Non-Profit Management, Washington DC, Oluwanifemi Bolatito Foundation, USGEAAN, Plateau State Chapter, Maisie Pearl Fashions, Jos Business School, GrandTowers Limited, Alliance Francaise, Jos and an array of individual supporters.
