Summer Camp: National theatre auditions children in talent hunt programme

By Prisca Sam-Duru

With the view to helping young people ignite their imagination through storytelling and theatre activities, the National Theatre in collaboration with Proud African Roots, held auditions for children.

The auditions, which provided an opportunity for children with a passion for performing arts to showcase their skills, were meant for a Children’s Summer Camp program known as “Story Theatre With Grandma Wura”.

The program which runs from July 28th to August 23rd, 2025, with classes from 9 am to 3 pm daily at the National Theatre in Lagos, will nurture children with talents in singing, acting, and dancing for a future musical theatre production.

The auditions were held at the Alliance Francaise, Ikoyi, Lagos, under the supervision of the General Manager/CEO of the National Theatre, Mrs. Tola Akerele.

It had Charity Omaghomi (Music Director and Vocal Coach), Frank Konwea (Choreographer), and Bola Edwards (Producer and Director), as judges.

The children numbering about 40 gave their best in acting- monologue, dancing and singing. And they will be trained for the productions scheduled for August 22 and 23 at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Speaking about the audition, Akerele described its outcome as impressive, hinting that the selected talents will be trained at the summer camp.

Expressing how excited she was about the programme, she said that despite the challenges, they were able to push through. “We are starting the summer camp with a Grandma Wura Production in view. At the National Theatre, we are always about putting wonderful things on stage. I think the children’s camp is one of the things that can help us achieve that. It is a four-week summer camp with intense rehearsals, learning new skills, team work, collaboration and discipline. For me, it is a way to engage our children during the holiday,” she said.

CEO and Founder of Proud African Roots, Bola Edwards, who was one of the judges at the audition, spoke on the successful journey of Story Theatre with Grandma Wura and how it impacts the family through storytelling. According to him, “The family unit is the bedrock of society. When you get the family right, everything else falls into place. That’s why we started Story Theatre in 2015 – to create a platform for families to come together and enjoy quality time in the theatre. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see how the theatre has built and structured children, equipping them with foundational values like resilience and confidence.”

On why The Osahon Okunbo Foundation provided the financial support for the summer camp, Nicole Asinugo, a communication executive for the Foundation stated that “We are interested in this summer camp because it aligns with our core values, which are about nurturing potential and purpose. We appreciate what the National Theatre is doing to empower young people by providing them a stage to develop and showcase their skills. Creativity can be a sustainable career, and we believe it’s essential to support young people in exploring their creative potential.”

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