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South African Theatre
The South African Theatre was founded in the 1830s with most of the plays being from local story telling. The theatre was heavily influenced by white missionaries in the early 19th century. In the 1920s Father Bernard Hess who encouraged drama's from the local Zulu tribe. Performance arts began to flourish in the black townships because of this. As time moved on the racism went away and more African plays were allowed rather then English plays. (Mafika) -
Athol Fugard
Fugard is one of the most highly regarded and best known South African director, actor, and writer. He wrote plays like "Blood Knot" and "Master Harold and the Boys". His works are best known for his works confronting racial segregation of the apartheid and continues to write plays today on that subject. (Profile Theatre) -
Hubert Ogunde
In 1946 Ogunde established the Yoruba Travelling Company and the Yoruba Opera. This opera changed Nigeria's and Africa's way of entertainment. He is often referred to as the father of Nigerian theater. He was jailed for some of his plays like "Bread and Bullet" and "Tigers Empire". He was a trailblazer of his time for his theater exploits that was relatable to the people of Nigeria. (About Ogundue) -
Yoruba Opera
The Yoruba Opera and Yoruba travelling Company was established in 1946 by Hubert Ogunde. The opera combined two traditions. The first being the tradition of the local culture of the Yoruba and the old European tradition of the European theatre in Nigeria. The opera is famous and popular locally as the plays are relatable to local life. (Strehl) -
"The Song of Death"
"The Song of Death" is one of the most famous Arabic plays from Egypt. This play was written by Tawfiq al-Hakim. The play is about a return of IIwan's return to his village and being confronted by Asakir to fulfill his familial duties, that include avenging his fathers death. To avenge his fathers death he must kill the person who did it. He refuses to and his mother disowns him and tells his cousin to kill him with the same knife she hoped IIwan would use. (Survey of Theater) -
"The Strong Breed"
"The Strong Breed" is a play written by Wole Soyinka in 1963. This play is very relatable to the Yoruba culture. A ritual in that culture is every new year they sacrifice a carrier, which is a villager in the community. This play shows that death is a crucial thing in the community as it is a struggle between the individual and community wholeness. (Goodreads) -
"Master Harold and the Boys"
Set in 1950 South Africa and premiered in 1980's. This play was written by Athol Fugard and was one of his most iconic plays. This play is about Hally and his two servants in South Africa. Hally was friend with his two servants Willie and Sam. Hally learns of his father returning from the hospital and gets so mad that he lashes out at Willie and Sam. Hally then becomes Master Harold and a racist young man. Sam tries to reconcile with Hally like the way it use to be. (Stage Agent) -
Wole Soyinka
Soyinka was a successful Nigerian playwright that won the Nobel prize for Literature in 1986. Know for writing "The Strong Breed" he also wrote many other great plays. Those include "The Interpreters" and " Season of Anomy". He was a great actor but a better playwright that wrote plays that related to the heart of his local people. (NobelPrize) -
Tawfiq al-Hakim
Tawfiq was one of the best Egyptian writer and known as the pioneer of Arabic novel and drama. His more notable plays include "The Song of Death" and "The Sultan's Dilemma". His prolific playwright is what best represented the Arabic nation in Egypt which is very small on the continent of Africa. His death was in 1987 and will always be missed by the Arabic drama. (Arab Writers) -
Hansel Ndumbe Eyoh
Hansel Ndumbe Eyoh was a director, critic, playwright, and professor at the Theatre of Arts at the University of Yaoundé I. He is known best for his works in the "World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Africa". That helped many historians and really the world know what the history of the early African Theatre was. He is also known for his children's play " Munyenge". (Wiki)