The post-Covid theatre scene has witnessed exponential growth and recently, while raving about the stage personalities we admire, an interesting topic arose: exploring the theatre space in the Home of Champions.
At the Alliance Française on a Monday afternoon, spoken word artist and actor, TAP, is having a sit-down with me, steadily steering me through the theatre space in Eldoret and the efforts being put by young theatre practitioners in the region to reach more audiences.
We have been doing our best, trying to build a foundation and improve the culture of theatre in Eldoret. Over the years, different productions have come up in the city and each put up their shows in different venues in and around the city,”says the Best Poet Speak Life Africa 2022 winner.
An alumnus of the University of Eldoret, TAP has an impressive track record of training students in the Drama Festivals. His performances earned him a good reputation among established industry players who proposed he come to Nairobi to learn more about the theatre. He quickly learned the importance of artists’ zeal to improve theatre culture in the region.
Different creatives from Eldoret came together to form what is now called 64 Theatre, a production focused on doing public shows in Eldoret with a certain set ticket price, quality in performance and production.”he reveals
The production house also seeks to implement strategies to make theatre in Eldoret stand out for its audience from ticketing to production quality.
The theatre industry in the region has not only benefited from collaborations with companies such as Art Flame and 64 Theatre, but also partnerships with medical centres, schools, universities, Saccos, and the private sector. 
Its affiliation last year with the KITFest County Theatre Fiesta by submission of its plays sees a potential for a partnership with both KITFest and the Kenya Theatre Awards (KTAs). One of the challenges faced by KTAs, as seen in its recently-released nominees’ list, is covering shows outside Nairobi.
Already with seven shows lined up just this quarter, Eldoret’s theatre potential is beaming with diverse stories.
Many don’t know it but Eldoret is very cosmopolitan and owing to that, the number of stories that can be told in the theatre are numerous,”Octavious, writer and director at 64 Theatre, emphasises.
Build your profile as a creative and elevate your brand via https://talents.sanaapost.com/
For masterclasses on Arts from the best in the creative industry visit https://academy.sanaapost.com/
Edited by @peterndoria
