Nigerian Playwright Nominated for the Inaugural Young-Howze Theater Awards.

Wole Oguntokun has been nominated for the inaugural Young-Howze Theater Awards.The Young-Howze Theatre Award was established by playwright Ricky Young-Howze and screenwriter Dana Young-Howze as a way of celebrating digital theater, a form of theater that gained prominence during the 2020 pandemic.

The award is given in several categories:* “Solo Performance,” “Seasons, Series, and Festivals,” “Single Shows,” “Individuals,” “Zoom,” “Stream Yard,” “Staged Production,” “Writing/Adaptations,” and “Superlatives.”Oguntokun’s play, The Emancipation of Yankee Oluwale, directed by Harry Waters Jr. is being nominated in the category of Writing/Adaptations.The play follows the story of David Oluwale, a Nigerian man stowed away on a ship bound to the UK from Lagos. He is faced with police brutality throughout his journey.

Oguntokun has directed plays written by Wole Soyinka, Ntozake Shange, Aimé Césaire, and other talented playwrights. His works have received fellowship from the International Society for the Performing Arts, and his plays have been performed at festivals across the globe. The Young-Howze Theatre Awards will be aired on YouTube on February 21. See other nominees here.

Best wishes to Wole Oguntokun!