The Lion and the Jewel
by Wole Soyinka
Tradition collides with change in this bustling, colonial-era Yoruba village. Discover the ever-relevant themes of this eloquently crafted play.
STREAMING AUGUST 22 - SEPTEMBER 4
10am, 3pm, 8pm EDT (UTC-04:00)
Access streams at:
Virtual reading of a classic Nigerian play
Chike Ukaegbu, Initiator & Co-Director
The Lion and the Jewel and other Wole Soyinka plays were some of my favorites while in college. The rich traditions and cultural themes in these plays mirror many of the experiences of the modern young Nigerian/African and I wondered how exciting it would be to explore some of those themes again, but from a 21st century perspective.
I minored in musical theater in college more than a decade ago, and was fortunate to both be a part of as well as direct this and other Nigerian-authored plays.
The first COVID-19 lockdown in New York City presented an opportunity to rediscover long-lost passions like theater, but to also reimagine what the experience at the intersection of theater and tech could be, for an audience overwhelmed by the Covid pandemic.
I am grateful to Joshua Echebiri and this brilliant, exceptional cast for taking this dream and literally breathing life into it.
