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Arts Correspondent

Almasi Collaborative Arts, who are organisers of the African Playwrights Festival, have called upon playwrights across the country to submit their plays for the festival, which will take place next month. Selected playwrights shall be invited to participate in a workshop to further develop their plays that will be presented at the Festival as stage readings for the Zimbabwean theatre enthusiasts and followers to enjoy.In a statement, the organisation’s spokesperson Tawanda Mupatsi said entries are open until March 20.

“Interested playwrights are requested to submit their full length original plays before March 20 2016.

“The works to be submitted must come in a digital and accessible format and they should be pieces that have never been published or produced before or during the festival,” he said.

He highlighted that a workshop will be organised for the plays that could have made it to the next level.

“After submission the plays shall go through the hands of an anonymous panel for screening.

“They will proceed to another panel who shall review the works and the playwrights whose works would have qualified will be invited to the Festival workshop,” he added.

The 2015 edition of the African Playwrights Festival which took place in May flourished bringing the development of three original plays written by three local playwrights.

Robert Egan who is the artistic director of Ojai Playwrights Conference came from the US and worked with the writers in dissecting and developing their pieces and what resulted in the end was a presentation of the plays at the Festival.

During last year’s festival a rich discussion came into the limelight where the future of Zimbabwean Dramatic Arts was discussed.

The panel that graced the festival included playwright and filmmaker Leonard Matsa, renowned film producer Rumbi Katedza and Raisedon Baya who is also a playwright and director of the Intwasa Arts Festival.

Almasi African Playwrights Festival is designed to identify, nurture and develop Zimbabwean writing talent in order for it to compete on the global stage.