A Contextual Examination of ‘Theatrepreneurial’ Aspects of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practice
Sunday P. Umanah,
Uwemedimo Atakpo
& Okon U. Jacob
Published in AKSUJEL - June, 2024
Abstract
This paper is based on acontextual examination of ’theatrepreneurial’ aspects of theatre arts education and practice in Nigerian universities. Theatre Arts is a discipline that harbours diverse fields of specialty and with enormous potentials which students and graduates could engage in with prospects of becoming employers of labour rather than seekers of employment opportunities. The analysis takes qualitative mode in which descriptive method is used as research approach, and the theoretical framework is Market Orientation Theory. Findings show that ticketing in Theatre Arts, among other entrepreneurial strategies, can be deployed in different ways to inspire and encourage investment consciousness in theatre craftsmanship, reconceptualised as ’theatrepreneurship’. ‘Theatrepreneurship’ advocates early inclusion of investment tactics in educational theatre practices aimed at inculcating learning how to develop creative powers beyond intellectual acquiring. The analysis focuses on ticketing techniques in theatre arts production with potentials for investment mind-set. It concludes that the inclusion of investment techniques will make theatre a sector of skill acquisition with endowments for theatre graduates to survive in the society which can attract government supports for skill acquisition, jobs creation and human development. It recommends that theatrepreneurship should be used as cogent statement to inform theatre graduates on the investment knowhow in creative endevours from school productions to the investment society.
Authors
- Sunday Peter Umanah
Department of Performing Arts
Akwa Ibom State University
andikanumanah@gmail.com - Uwemedimo Atakpo
Department of Performing Arts
Akwa Ibom State University
uwemedimoatakpo@gmail.com - Okon Udofot Jacob
Department of Performing Arts
Akwa Ibom State University,
jacobudofot@gmail.com