Staff Reporter
Windhoek-Hundreds of enthusiastic audience members at government schools in the rural areas have lately been captivated by the play, The Porridge Queen by Committed Artists of Namibia (CAN) which has been touring the regions.
In a media release, CAN say the halls of the six regional schools literally burst at the seams with capacity learner audiences wherever the play featured.
Buoyed by this obvious demand CAN now intends to apply for more funding from the Namibia National Arts Council (NNAC) next month when the institution’s next funding cycle in support of performing arts opens.
Additional funding will allow CAN to also stage the same play at secondary schools in the other eight regions of the country.
“We are aware of the fact that there are more than 800 secondary schools countrywide at which most learners constantly struggle with the entrepreneurial subject concept.
“The Porridge Queen offers all learners the unique and golden opportunity to practically experience and witness what job a female street vendor created for herself for her own survival and to provide employment to youth,” says playwright, Frederick B. Philander.
CAN is also in the process of creating a puppet play with the same entrepreneurial content to be staged at all government, church and private primary schools in 2018, finances permitting. Philander, the artistic director of CAN and a former high school teacher, says.
This flagship play of his theatre ensemble is also aimed at teachers and adults, mostly in culturally starved regional communities.
“We need to continue momentum of the theatre initiative to help improve the education standards in the regions to the benefit of all school learners and the nation. Most rural learners we have spoken to indicated they are struggling with the said subject,” Philander asserts.