Enacting Traditional Based Drama on Modern Stage Through Technical Creativity

Abstract

African performances are done with a lot of virtuosity in total theatre idiom; music, dance and drama. They sum up the cure essence of the African performance culture that keep our culture, heritage, believes and practices alive for better understanding of the past, present and helping a better future. This paper examines method of animating traditional based drama on modern stage through technical creativity. Through analytical research methodology, this study brings out the importance of animating traditional based drama on stage through technical creativity and how it helps ergonomically the overall graphic representation or picturization‘ and the total outlook in a theatre production, using light, costume, makeup, sound, props and special effects. Findings in this study reveal that creative exploration of technical aids has significant bearing in the eventual output of drama performances. The paper concludes that combination of traditional and modern paraphernalia of technical theatre makes theatrical performance more believable and culturally acceptable to the audience. Therefore, the paper recommends that there should be an aggressive exploration into traditional performances with a view to exhume the technical elements that will create a true marriage between the traditional and modern African performances.