The International Theatre Institute (ITI) Uganda Centre made a triumphant comeback with the Uganda Theatre Excellence Awards (UTEA) after 35 years without any recognition for theatre artists in Uganda.
The Uganda National Theatre was packed to the brim with theatre practitioners from all over Kampala gathering to celebrate art and witness this historic moment.
Honouring the 2024–2025 season across ten categories, the ceremony brought together 104 nominees from 23 productions, celebrating the extraordinary depth of talent driving Uganda's theatre industry.
What set UTEA apart from the outset was its unapologetically public mandate. In the four-day voting window that closed on 26 March, 5,840 ballots were cast, generating more than 42,000 individual votes.
As ITI President, Aganza Kisaka, alluded to in her opening remarks, the numbers are more than a statistic; they are a declaration.
Uganda's theatre community commands a vast, passionate, and deeply engaged audience. The conversation about infrastructure must now catch up: the clamour for a world-class, purpose-built venue has never been louder.
Without recognition, art begins to live in closet-like bubbles—known only to a few. Scripts remain on shelves. Designs never see the light of day. With recognition, we have an answer to the question: “What do you have to show for it?” - Aganza Kisaka - ITI Uganda Centre President.
The Guest of Honour and chief sponsor of the event, the Resident Director of St. Lawrence University, Peter Ssemakula, lent the occasion an international academic gravitas, underscoring the universal language of performance and the imperative of institutional support for theatre education.
The Guest Speaker, Dr. Jessica Kaahwa, President of ITI Worldwide, delivered an address that drew on the importance of friendship, collaboration, and the role each individual has to play as the nation’s cultural stewards.
She challenged artists to serve with the good of the whole industry in mind and allow theatre to thrive.
When the votes were tallied and the envelopes opened, the inaugural UTEA champions were: Male Ronald (Best Actor), Tayo Shonubi (Best Actress- She Loves Me), Aganza Kisaka (Best Director- She Loves Me), She Loves Me (Best Production by Yenze Theatre Conservatoire), Kenneth Kanaabi (Best Set Design - She Loves Me), Arafat Mugambe (Best Light Design - Gampisi), Arafat Mugambe & Mariam Ndagire (Best Sound Design - Ssewatti), Guy Jairus Zziwa (Best Costume Design - Phantom of the Opera), Brenda Ibarah (Best Theatre Script - Make Room), and Precious Nsimenta (Best Stage Manager - She Loves Me).
The evening also featured a moving tribute to the late Esteri Tebandeke, a towering figure in Uganda's performing arts whose legacy loomed large over the celebrations. Audiences witnessed various monologues and dance performances from artists like Andereya Baguma, Joana Mbabazi, Trevor Mangeni, Simeon Lakuc, and a devised theatre piece entitled Love from Zimbabwe. Each performance highlighted various aspects of theatre like music, dance, and drama, and the need to recognize talented individuals.
As the curtain fell on UTEA 2025, one thing was clear: Uganda's theatre fraternity is not a niche community; it is a movement, and it is ready for a stage worthy of its ambitions.
The Uganda Centre of the International Theatre Institute is the official national chapter of ITI Worldwide, the world's largest performing arts organisation under the auspices of UNESCO. ITI Uganda promotes theatre excellence, artist development, and cultural diplomacy across Uganda and the East African region.
Posts
0 Comments