To unearth talents and budding African playwrights, the fourteenth annual Senior High Drama Competition has begun at the Arts Centre in Accra.
Mr Danny Clerk, Programmes Coordinator in-charge of Drama at the Arts Centre, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the competition was being organized by the Sankofa Drama Unit that has over the past four years been working in collaboration with the Centre.
This year’s three-day event begins on Thursday 21st and ends on 23rd February. All the judges are from the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Legon. On Thursday and Friday, the event will begin at 11am whiles on Saturday it will start at 8am.
The 16 participating public and private schools in the competition are drawn from the Eastern and Greater Accra regions. They include: Presec-Legon SHS, Thomas Aquinas SHS, Krobo Girls SHS, Kibi Secondary Technical, Osu Presec SHS, Chemu SHS, Ashaiman SHS, Action SHS, and Preset Pacesetters.
Mr Clerk said to improve the individual’s language and delivery, all the participants would perform an African play written by an African student, teacher, or a famous African playwright.
He said “there are several prizes on offer from our generous patrons and sponsors, which include a trophy, a free two-night performance at the Efua T. Sutherland Drama Studio at Legon and an excursion to the Shai hills resource reserve”.
The Wildlife Division, Accra; Indomie-Ghana; Pepsi Cola, Evercool drinking water, are among the sponsors.
“The reigning champions are Presec-Legon, but with the intense preparation by all participants it will be interesting to see if they can retain the crown”, Mr Clerk concluded.
