Almasi african playwrights conference
2025 Almasi African Playwrights Conference
From 8 to 20 December 2025, Almasi held the eighth edition of the Almasi African Playwrights Conference at Friendship Bench in Mount Pleasant, Harare. The conference was convened by Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning producer Mara Isaacs (Hadestown) and Steinberg Playwright Award-winner Ngozi Anyanwu, working alongside Gideon Wabvuta, Almasi's Programme Director. Theindependent
The conference featured five new plays by five playwrights: Philisiwe Twijnstra (South Africa), Cynthia Marangwanda, Jonathan Brakarsh, Tawanda Josh Vombo, and Kudzai Mhangwa. The process culminated in free public staged readings on 18, 19, and 20 December. Theindependent
Almasi African Playwrights Conference 2025 was the eighth edition of the Almasi African Playwrights Conference. The Almasi African Playwrights Conference is designed to identify new African dramatic writing talent and facilitate the further development of new African dramatic pieces.
2024 Almasi African Playwrights Conference
From 11 to 21 December 2024, Almasi held the Almasi African Playwrights Conference at Reps Theatre, Harare. The conference was led by Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of The Public Theater in New York, best known for bringing Hamilton and Fun Home to the stage, alongside Almasi Programme Director Gideon Wabvuta. The plays developed at this conference went on to form the foundation of the 2025 Africa Voices Now! Festival, with three of the playwrights, Batsirai Chigama, Tatenda Mutyambizi, and Rudo Mutangadura, developing their works through a further rewriting residency with two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage. TheindependentAlmasiarts
Almasi African Playwrights Conference 2024 was the seventh edition of the Almasi African Playwrights Conference.
2023 Almasi African Playwrights Conference
From 12 to 23 December 2023, Almasi held the Almasi African Playwrights Conference at Reps Theatre, Harare. Facilitated by Stephen Belber, Gideon Wabvuta, and Sasha Emerson, the conference had the participation of five Zimbabwean playwrights: Kingsley Chinhanu, Tinotenda Mangwendeza, Leonard Matsa, Tatenda Mutyambizi, and Almasi Associate Artistic Director Zaza Muchemwa. Over the course of two weeks, the facilitators worked with the playwrights in further developing their plays. The process culminated in free public staged readings of new African plays at Reps Theatre from 21 to 23 December. Almasiarts
On 21 December at 1:30pm Almasi presented a public staged reading of Four Women by Kingsley Chinhanu, directed by Charmaine R. Mujeri, a play about four women running a men's clothes shop as cover for their sex work. On 21 December at 6pm, Almasi presented Viola by Tinotenda Mangwendeza, directed by Sandra Chidawanyika-Goliath, a play told in verse exploring friendships, love affairs, and betrayals among college students.
On 22 December, Almasi presented A Westerly Wind by Zaza Muchemwa, directed by Tafadzwa Bob Mutumbi, a play about intergenerational trauma and two sisters navigating the grief of their father's forced disappearance. On 22 December at 6pm, Almasi presented Tonde by Leonard Matsa, directed by Makomborero Theresa Muchemwa — a solo piece following a young man's journey from Harare to the Chiadzwa artisanal mines and back to his rural village. Almasiarts
Almasi African Playwrights Conference 2023 was the sixth edition of the Almasi African Playwrights Conference.
2021 Almasi African Playwrights Conference (Virtual)
In 2021, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Almasi held the fifth edition of the Almasi African Playwrights Conference virtually via Zoom and other online platforms. The conference was facilitated by American artists Mandy Hackett and Garlia Cornelia Jones, alongside Zimbabwean artist Gideon Wabvuta. NewsDay Zimbabwe
The conference culminated in free public staged readings of new African plays from five selected playwrights: Chelsy Maumbe, Tatenda Mutyambizi, and Philani Nyoni (Zimbabwe), Sfundo Sosibo (South Africa), and Joseph Ekanga (Democratic Republic of Congo). The staged readings were broadcast on the Almasi Collaborative Arts Facebook Page. NewsDay Zimbabwe
Almasi African Playwrights Conference 2021 was the fifth edition of the Almasi African Playwrights Conference. The Almasi African Playwrights Conference is designed to identify new African dramatic writing talent and facilitate the further development of new African dramatic pieces.
2020 Almasi African Playwrights Conference
From the 13th to the 25th of January 2020, Almasi held the Almasi African Playwrights Conference at Reps Theatre, Harare. Led by Sasha Emerson, the conference had the participation of three Zimbabwean playwrights: Blessing Musariri, Farai Mabeza, and Makanaka Mavengere. Almasi Water Muparutsa Fellow Gideon Jeph Wabvuta served as Dramaturge. Almasiarts
On the 25th of January at 3pm, Almasi presented a free public staged reading of Maid in the Mirror by Makanaka Mavengere. Directed by Tafadzwa Bob Mutumbi, the play touches on issues of child marriage, rape, domestic violence and women's empowerment.
On the 25th of January at 6pm, Almasi presented a free public staged reading of A Case of the Silent Girl by Blessing Musariri. Directed by Eyahra Mathazia, the play is an African spiritual, religious and musical exploration of questions people have around suicide. Almasiarts
Sasha Emerson also worked with Farai Mabeza in developing his play Painted Wolves, which explores African identity. allAfrica.com. Almasi African Playwrights Conference 2020 was the fourth edition of the Almasi African Playwrights Conference.
2019 Almasi African Playwrights Conference
From the 3rd to the 12th of January 2019, Almasi held the Almasi African Playwrights Conference at Reps Theatre, Harare. Led by Alice Tuan the conference had the participation of two Zimbabwean playwrights Thandiwe Mawungwa, Virginia Jekanyika and, South African Playwright Sfundo Sosibo. Almasi Water Muparutsa Fellow Gideon Jeph Wabvuta served as Dramaturge.
Over the course of ten days the playwrights, led by Alice Tuan, further developed their plays in a collaborative process with local actors and directors. The process culminated in free public staged readings of the new African Plays at Reps Theatre.
On the 11th of January, 2pm Almasi presented a public staged reading of Ruvajena-White Flower by Virginia Jekanyika. Directed by Eyahra Mathazia the play deals with love, family relationships, and albinism.
On the 11th of January, 6pm Almasi presented a public staged reading of 33 Cents by Thandiwe Mawungwa. Directed by Sandra Chidawanyika-Goliath the play deals with power, corruption, intersectionality and the interconnectedness of human existence.
On the 12th of January, 6pm Almasi presented a public staged reading of #BlackGodsMatter by Sfundo Sosibo. Directed by Tafadzwa Bob Mutumbi the play deals with sexuality, identity, and African spirituality.
Almasi also presented a public staged reading of Gideon Jeph Wabvuta’s thesis play, The Colour of Blood on the 12th of January at 2pm. Set in late 1970s Zimbabwe, the female-centered narrative featured the talents of Yandani Mlilo, Musa Saruro, Michael Kudakwashe, Chipo Chikara, Lloyd Nyikadzino, and Tafadzwa Bob Mutumbi.
Almasi African Playwrights Conference 2019 was the third edition of the Almasi African Playwrights Conference.
The Almasi African Playwrights Conference is designed to identify new African dramatic writing talent and facilitate the further development of new African dramatic pieces.
2018 Almasi African Playwrights Conference
From the 3rd to the 13th of January 2018, Almasi Collaborative Arts presented the Almasi African Playwrights Conference at Zimbabwe German Society. The 10-day intensive had 3 playwrights collaborating with local directors and actors in further developing new Zimbabwean work. The process was led by Visiting American Artist, Alice Tuan with 2017 Walter Muparutsa Fellow Gideon Jeph Wabvuta serving as a dramaturg. The Conference culminated in free public staged readings of the new Zimbabwean work. Varied in style and subject matter, all the three plays enjoyed a good audience turnout.
On the 12th of January 2018 at 5 pm, Almasi presented a staged reading of The Prophet by Patrick Miller. The play deals with issues of monetized Christianity, sexuality and power struggles. An intense post-performance discussion followed the reading. On the 13th of January 2018 at 2pm, Almasi presented a staged reading of Please Try Again Later by Rudo Mutangadura. Set in a kombi, the play deals with the African female’s self-possession, migrant labor, xenophobia and marital relationships as is affected by the African diaspora phenomena. A robust post-performance discussion followed the reading. On the 13th of January 2018 at 5pm, Almasi presented a staged reading of Am I African by Farai Mabeza. The play’s central themes focus on African identity as is linked to land, race and land ownership in a post-colonial modernity. A deeply engaged post-performance discussion followed the reading.
