Playwright’s Confab holds March 6 at Kwara State University, Malete

THE second Playwrights’ Confab that will bring together playwrights from all over the country has been scheduled to hold from Friday, March 6 – 8, 2015. Conference host is Kwara State University, Malete, Ilorin while the main events will be held at Kwara State Arts Council in Ilorin. Conference theme is ‘The Time is Out of Joint – Playwriting in a Time of Global Incoherence’.

  The second confab is a follow-up to the first one convened by Distinguished Professor of Theatre, Femi Osofisan in 2013 at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Chief host is the Vice Chancellor of KWASU, Prof AbdulRasheed Na’Allah.

  All those interested in attending are advised to reach either abiola-fasoranti @kwasu.edu.ng or biolapearl@yahoo.com and copied to okinbalaunko@yahoo.com

  Sub-themes under the general heading include ‘Playwriting: Director’s Perspective’; ‘Playwriting: Actor’s Perspective’, ‘Playwriting: Publisher’s Perspective’, ‘Playwriting: Media Perspective’ and ‘Playwriting: Between the Stage Script and the Film Script’.

  To avoid confusion about the nature of Playwright’s Conference, Osofisan took time to explain that it is neither an academic exercise nor in competition with other literary associations or groups but “Conceived more as a gathering of professional workers in a particular area of literary and dramatic creativity, where we discuss common problems and challenges. 

Regrettably therefore we will not be having academic papers as such, but we will be glad to hear as many voices as possible, with equal chance given to professionals and amateurs, the young and the old, the female as well as the male, and so on. You are therefore urged to so indicate, in your response, if you wish to speak to the confab, and if possible, the topic you will be speaking on.

  “Pertinent to the above, we will also welcome suggestions about topics you wish to discuss at the conference”.

  Osofisan also solicited to lovers of the theatre as a vehicle of cultural propagation to step forward and sponsor the second Playwrights’ Confab. His appeal, “Finally, I should inform you that we’re still looking for willing sponsors, as Kwara State University is only giving us a fraction of what we need. We shall therefore be glad if you (willing participants of the confab) can send us more than the minimal amount specified and if you c an suggest any names of individuals or institutions you think we can approach (for sponsorship)”.