CNN here to film African Voices

African Voices, a show that tells the stories of Africa and is produced for CNN, is currently in Botswana. On August 12th, the producers of the show will be recording something big and exciting in Gaborone that is, the story of Folk Tale Theatre Company. If you are yet to hear about this company, here is what you need to know about it.

The company has seen three talented young members - Donald Molosi, Teto Mokaila and Zanele Tumelo - coming together. The three are passionate actors and their marriage is one that has been ordained by the gods. One of the mandates of the company is to foster new relationships between Broadway and the local theatre industry. Through their company they are setting their sights on bringing Broadway to the country, while at the same time performers from here can also venture into Broadway. It will be the first time that members of the company are interviewed together.  And being given an opportunity to tell their story on such a big platform only means that good things are heading their way, especially as the eyes of the world would be on them.

The interviews will be conducted at locations that include the National Museum, Three Chiefs Monument as well as the Sir Seretse Khama statue in front of the parliament buildings. Folk Tale Theatre Company is one of a kind and intends to tell the stories of Africa to the world particularly focusing on the untold stories such as that of Phillip Lutaaya, and other stories that have been overlooked. The works according to Molosi, who is the Artistic Director of the Company, are based on history. It will be one of the few companies that take the works of the continent, explore them and tell them to a bigger audience outside the continent.

“We are talking about having some of those who are passionate about theatre, and sponsoring them to shadow established actors in Broadway for two months or so. And dreams like that can only become reality if we have support from everyone,” he says. The company will be launched sometimes this year, and they have worked together on a play that told the story of Uganda’s most famous artist, Lutaaya. Their combination and chemistry gave those who watched them live on stage a sneak peek into what they can expect from their future works. Folk Tale Theatre Company is not the only company that will be interviewed for African Voices, as there are two or three other performers who have been lined up for interviews from Botswana. In the past the first citizen of Botswana Ian Khama, former Judge Unity Dow as well as local Rock groups have been featured in the show.

Meanwhile, a social media campaign dubbed 35 years on: Remembering Sir Seretse Khama is still ongoing. It was launched recently at Tiger Kloof Educational Institution in Vryburg. As part of the campaign, in partnership with Duma FM he recorded some of Seretse’s speeches. He has also partnered with local designer, Bonosi Mbaakanyi in the project who has designed some shirts with the face of the first president of the country, and they are worn wherever he goes to promote the campaign. Meanwhile, he is busy working on something that will take one of his works, Black, Blue & White to extraordinary heights.