Monday, May 11, 2026 - Nigeria will host Africa’s first-ever joint global festival for Improvisational Theatre and Playback Theatre practitioners as Abuja prepares to welcome performers, educators, humanitarian workers and storytellers from across the world for a week-long cultural gathering in June.
The festival, tagged #MeetInNigeria, is scheduled to hold
from June 21 to 27 in the Federal Capital Territory, bringing together
participants from North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa.
Organizers said the event marks the first time both global
Improvisational and Playback Theatre communities will converge on the African
continent for a combined festival focused on performance, training, cultural
exchange and social impact.
Training workshops and masterclasses will take place in the
mornings from 9 am to 5 pm daily, while live unscripted performances and
showcases will be hosted in the evenings from 6 pm to 8 pm daily.
The festival is being organized by Access to Creative Play
Foundation and The Ensemble Improv Theatre Company, organizations known for
pioneering Improvisational and Playback Theatre practice in Nigeria.
Speaking on the significance of the event, the Festival
Director and Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Oluwadamilola
Abdulai-Apotieri, described the festival as a platform for expanding creative
opportunities and social transformation through storytelling.
He said the initiative was designed not only as a
performance festival but also as a movement aimed at increasing access,
visibility and the use of interactive theatre for community development and
emotional healing.
The festival will officially open with the participation of
Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu
Musa-Musawa, as the special guest of honour.
According to organizers, the week-long event will feature
more than 30 workshops and masterclasses, over 20 international facilitators
and trainers, and more than 20 live performances involving Nigerian and
international artists.
Participants are expected from countries including the
United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, Greece, South Africa, Australia,
Peru, the Philippines, Sweden, Indonesia, Belgium, the Netherlands, Czechia and
Nigeria.
Organisers said the festival is expected to attract about
200 registered participants and over 1,000 audience members during the
seven-day programme.
Improvisational Theatre involves unscripted live
performances in which actors create scenes, dialogue, music and movement
spontaneously, often based on audience suggestions.
Playback Theatre, founded in 1975 and now practised in more
than 70 countries, allows audience members to share personal stories that are
immediately re-enacted on stage by performers.
Unlike conventional scripted theatre, both formats are
increasingly being used globally in mental health support, education,
leadership development, conflict transformation, psychosocial interventions and
community engagement.
The organisers noted that their work since 2015 has included
humanitarian and psychosocial support interventions in conflict-affected
communities across Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and Benue states, particularly among
displaced and vulnerable populations.
They also highlighted the growing global relevance of
Applied Improvisation in sectors such as healthcare, education, technology and
corporate leadership training.
Festival partners include Black Improv Alliance, Vintage
Improv Festival, Art Tech District, BAZE University, DOXA Digital Media and
Pearls Learning Hub.
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