JOOUST flexes its theatrical muscles again!
Since the birth of Kenya Universities Performing Arts and Film Association (KUPAA) five years ago, Kenyan university students annually converge to show case their talents and skills in theatre at the national stage after competing in their various regions. This year’s KUPAA National Festival was hosted by Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT) between the 3rd and 10th of November, 2023 with JOOUST posting exemplary performances amid fierce competition. JOOUST’s brigade comprised of sixty students led by Lewish Ontita and Grace Adonai, Dr. Violet Baraza from the Dean of Students office, Dr. Odhiambo – the patron, and the assistant trainer Mr. David Akunga. Thirty five Kenyan public and private Kenyan Universities attended and presented an array of Stage, Film, Visual, Radio Theatre and Beauty Pageantry items.
Majority of the items presented by JOOUST students earned various accolades despite the
heavily crowded and talented field of thespians drawn from theatre university powerhouses such as Kenyatta, Moi, Maseno and Multimedia to name but a few.
Residing in the exquisite Legacy Hotel in the middle of Nyeri town, team JOOUST got a shot in the
arm after being offered a hall by the hotel management, free of charge, for their evening rehearsals.
Cashing in on this rare opportunity and relishing Gikuyu cuisine of mokimo,minji, githeri among
other finger licking delicacies, JOOUST crew had no option but to perform well.
Even the freezing weather conditions in Nyeri County could not dampen the spirits of JOOUST’s
contingent who successfully defended the legislative play trophy they won last year when they hosted
the fourth KUPAA national festival. This time round, however, the trophy came home with a bonus
award for the best play on environmental conservation.
Taking the audience on an introspective journey around the contours of the high cost of living in Kenya, our very own wordsmith – Grace Adonai – petrified the audience with her spoken piece, Our Dear New Government, winning a trophy and an award for the best spoken word item on human rights and governance.
Ibrahim Otieno wowed the audience with his tragicomic one person play “Everything is a lie.” The play, recounting the plight of a journalist whose domestic front is in shambles, emerged second overall thereby scooping another trophy for JOOUST.
JOOUST was second to none in radio theatre on the effects of drugs and substance abuse category courtesy of Dan Juma aka Kukulikuntu who received the glittering trophy amid deafening cheers from the audience.
In Cultural and Creative Dance, JOOUST bagged two awards. While Joshua Onyango received the overall Adjudicator’s award in this category, Rowell Amanda put the icing on the cake by winning the best soloist first runners up award.
The high altitude around Mount Kenya however left a number of JOOUST students indisposed though prompt medical attention ensured these conditions didn’t deter their mission.
JOOUST Theatre community is humbled by the overwhelming support accorded to them by the Vice Chancellor and the University Management Board and can only promise to better their best come next year.
