Crown Troupe of Africa, a renowned Lagos-based theatre will be treating theatre lovers, revelers, art enthusiasts, and the general public to a superlative line-up of Masquerades display, Carnival procession, Theatre performances, Dance performances, Seminars, Games, Workshops, Film Screening, Sporting events, Exhibition, Fashion, Seminar, and Music Concerts at the annual Eko Theatre Carnival.
Eko Theatre Carnival is a week-long convergence of performers, scholars, exhibitors, and budding artists. Beginning in 2016 with the celebration of the troupe’s 20th-year celebration of Crown Troupe of Africa, the Eko Theatre Carnival (ETC) is posed ‘’to mobilise the community towards collective goals of unifying the diverse peoples and cultures for communal sharing and social, economic and environmental advancements’’.
Founded on June 1, 1996, the Bariga-based Crown Troupe Africa has grown in leaps and bounds from its humble days at its debut rehearsal grounds at Ajileye Street, Bariga to a global phenomenon – a force to reckon with, in the world of impeccable arts performances. The honeycomb of growth has in no way eroded the values of the Crown Troupe of Africa (as some may envisage), rather it has helped forge a virile anvil of a seasoned collective of research, documentation, art workshops, with a fine blend of poetry, visual art, dance, drama, and music and related arts in a mix of fashion, style, and intellectualism.
Crown Troupe of Africa has been hailed severally for its timeless contributions to arts development, social discourse, advocacy, and impeccable creative niche. The multiple-award-winning troupe has featured prominently at Local and International amongst which includes International Dance Day, International Theatre Day, Refugee Day, AIDS day, Lagos Book & Art Festival, and other similar events.
Despite the encumbrances posed by the covid-19 pandemic, Eko Theatre Carnival (ETC) 2021 is still endowed with the physicalness of the arts. This is deliberate so as not to lose strike the right chords in the hearts of spectators. Without flouting the covid-19 health cautious bell, all the activities at the carnival will be both physical and digital.
According to the Creative Director of Crown Troupe of Africa, Segun Adefila (Oriade), ‘’The weeklong feast of artistic offerings, EKO THEATRE CARNIVAL (ETC) 2021 will begin on Monday, August 2nd and shall to a befitting closing ceremony on Sunday, August 8th, 2021.
With the help of media partners and a continuously growing social media presence, Eko Theatre Carnival has reached over 5 million people worldwide, with an estimated attendance of 15,000 guests through the festival week, and we believe this year will surpass the previous editions.’’
The 25th anniversary of the leading Theatre Troupe in Sub-Saharan Africa which holds between August 2-8, 2021 at the Crown Arts Factory situated at 38, Awofodu Street, Off Pedro Road, Ilaje, Bariga, Lagos is premised on the founding cardinals of the troupe which is to produce ‘’socially-relevant, thought-provoking and empowering’’ creative oeuvre.
2021 EKO THEATRE CARNIVAL KEY ACTIVITIES:
A seminar on Theatre in Nation Building, which will explore the transitions in dance-drama from the era of Ogunde/Duro Ladipo to the contemporary era, viz- Crown Troupe’s contribution to that transition: will be organized with key resource persons anchoring.
Keynote Speakers:
• Professor Duro Oni, Theatre Technician, scholar, practitioner and ex-Deputy
VC of University of Lagos, UNILAG
• Professor Tunji Azeez, dramatist, director, Theatre lecturer at the Lagos State University, LASU.
The aim is to fill some of the gaps in Nigerian theatre criticisms/theory which seem to have been on pause since the Ogunde period and also to get some informed criticism on Crown Troupe’s unfolding works in the past 25 years.
WORKSHOPS:
Mainly for younger theatre artists on dance-drama performance in theory and practice; to be anchored by Crown Troupe personnel with other resource persons. This will serve as a continuing Professional Development programme for members of the CTA and some of their colleagues and also as a means of grooming the younger generation of theatre-makers.
In this regard, there have been targeted activities like:
➢ February: Exodus 03, an intensive dance workshop, headlined by Uche Onah of Artlink Productions.
➢ June: SpunK-TitudE headlined. by Adedayo Liadi.
➢ July: BornTroway Summer Academy produced by Planetheart Foundation and facilitated by:
Acting —- Toyin Oshinaike –
Dance —- Adedayo Liadi –
Music —- David Erinjogunola and Alfred Adefila –
➢ August: Acting Masterclass with Patrick Diabua.
EXHIBITION & FASHION PARADE.
The need to look back and engage in self-appraisal gave birth to these new additions to ETC 2021 content.
The earth is screaming but earthlings are not listening. There shall be exhibitions of photographs of performances by the Crown Troupe of Africa as well as installation of junks, inspired by the works of the famed and legendary artist, Professor Junkman.
A fashion parade, also inspired by a pacesetter in the art fashion industry, Modela, shall also speak to the topic of waste and climate change.
PERFORMANCES.
The Crown Troupe as well as other guest companies and artistes who have had a relationship with it over the years shall be presenting a mixed menu of some of the best artistic feasts for ETC.
Some of these include:
- Gifted Steppers.
- Sinmi Jay
- Art Castle Academy.
- DeeStarlite Band.
- Kings and Queens.
- RushCoded.
- Footprints Art Ambassadors.
- Africana.
- Footprints of David.
- FMG.
- TheatreCentrik.
- Ijodee Arts
- Fash.
- Q Dance Centre
- BANTU
- Whitestones Ambassadors.
- Segun Akinduro (Violin).
- Starlight Home of Entertainment.
- Dream Dance Company.
ETC 2021 PROGRAMME OF EVENTS AND TIMING.
VENUES:
• Crown Art Factory, 32 Awofodu Street, off Pedro Road Bariga.
• Beeriga, Bariga Boat Jetty, Ilaje Bariga.
➢ DAY 1. MONDAY, AUGUST 2
Venue: Art Factory.
- Lecture by Professor Duro Oni. Time: 11 am.
- Nigeria Go Better by Kings and Queens. Time4pm.
- FEDEYEDE by Crown Troupe. Time: 5:30pm.
- Film screening: All that is Golden Glitters by Fiona Whytte. Time: 6pm.
➢ DAY 2. TUESDAY, AUGUST 3-
Venue: Art Factory. - Lecture by Professor Tunji Azeez. Time: 11 am.
- Performance: Eti Inu- (Drums ensemble) by Crown Troupe and Starlight Home of Entertainment. Time: 5pm.
- Film screening: Bariga Boy by Femi Odugbemi. Time: 7 pm. Venue: Boat Jetty.
➢ DAY 3. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4-
Venue: Art Factory. - Death Not a Raillery by Femi Richards. Time:4pm.
- For the Sake of Love by Whitestone Ambassadors. Time:5pm.
➢ DAY 4. THURSDAY, AUGUST 5-
Venue: Art Factory - Economic Independence by Art Castle Academy. Time: 4pm.
2.The Last Letter by Ayo Odubona. Time:5pm. - Efusetan, Iyalode Ibadan by TheAtreCentrik. Time:6pm.
➢ DAY 5. FRIDAY, AUGUST 6-
Venue: Art Factory. - Recycled Fashion by Kings and Queens and Crown Troupe. Time:4pm.
- Economic Crisis by Footprints Art Ambassadors. Time:5pm.
➢ DAY 6. SATURDAY, AUGUST 7-
Venue: Art Factory. - Eniyan by Footprints of David. Time:4pm.
- Omo Odo by Crown Troupe. Time:5;30pm.
- Kismet by Ijodee Arts. Time: 6:30pm.
- Film screening: Edunjobi by Q Dance Centre. Time: 7:30pm.
➢ DAY 7. SUNDAY, AUGUST 8-
Venue: Beeriga, Boat Jetty. - Refashioned Recycle by Kings and Queens and Crown Troupe. Time:5pm.
- Music Concert: BANTU, Moses, Sinmi Jay, Violin, Rush, FMJ, Fashek Time:6pm.
Segun Adefila
ETC 2021
Festival Producer/ Director. Photo Credit: Crown Troupe of Africa
