By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
HARARE — The stage is set. The lights are ready. And a new wave of Zimbabwean theatrical talent is about to take center stage.
Almasi Collaborative Arts proudly presents the inaugural Africa Voices Now! A Festival of New African Plays, a bold and vibrant celebration of emerging Zimbabwean storytelling, running from October 18 to November 7 at the intimate Jasen Mphepo Little Theatre.
This isn’t just another theatre festival. It’s the climax of over a decade of intense professional training and international collaboration—and the beginning of a new artistic chapter.
“Africa Voices Now! is more than a showcase; it’s a launchpad for rising African talent,” said Danai Gurira, Executive Director of Almasi.
“We’re not just building plays, we’re building careers.”
A New Generation of African Storytellers
The three-week festival will feature three original plays by local playwrights who are shaping the next era of African theatre:
“Can We Talk?” by Batsirai Chigama
“These Humans Are Sick” by Tatenda Mutyambizi
“The Return” by Rudo Mutangadura
Each piece dives deep into Zimbabwean life—exploring grief, sisterhood, survival, and identity—through powerful, contemporary storytelling.
Chigama, known for her award-winning poetry, weaves an emotional tale of three sisters uncovering family secrets after a mysterious death.
Mutyambizi’s raw urban drama captures the grit of a Harare ghetto and the cost of ambition. Mutangadura, a veteran of the stage, brings a diasporic family drama to life as two sisters clash over culture, memory, and home.
These works are the result of rigorous mentorship from some of the world’s most respected theatre voices.
Training began with the Almasi Africa Playwrights Conference led by Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of New York’s famed Public Theater (home of Hamilton), and continued under the guidance of Lynn Nottage, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright (Sweat, Ruined).
Actors and directors were trained by Broadway’s Peter Francis James and Tony Award-winning director Emily Mann, ensuring performances that meet international standards.
In a landmark move, Almasi has partnered with The Public Theater (NYC) to take this festival global. At least one of the featured plays will be selected for further development and a potential performance in the United States—bringing Zimbabwean stories to international stages.
“This is Phase Two of Almasi’s journey,” said Gurira. “We’ve trained the artists—now it’s time to take our African narratives to the world.”
In true festival spirit, Africa Voices Now! also features guest performances by top Zimbabwean musicians, creating a rich, multi-sensory cultural experience. It’s theatre, yes—but it’s also celebration, collaboration, and a testament to what Zimbabwean talent can achieve when given the right platform.
After 13 years of transforming lives through arts education, Almasi has evolved. The message is clear: Zimbabwe’s creative voices are ready—and the world is listening.
Festival Details:
October 18 – November 7, 2025
Jasen Mphepo Little Theatre, Harare
Tickets available soon via Almasi’s official platforms
About Author
