Mombasa theatre in a new dawn as new office plans Sh 100 million renovation

Re-elected Little Theatre Club Chairman Peter Odote (l), veteran playwright Kudip Sondhi and Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar after a past performance at the theatre. {PHOTO BY GEORGE ORIDO}

The Little Theatre Club Mombasa is set for a major overhaul should the proposal to secure Sh 100 million development funding come through.

The proposals are contained in a document presented to the Sports, Culture and the Arts Cabinet Secretray Dr Hassan Wario and his Tourism counterpart Najib Balala.

Speaking to members of the club the just re-elected Chairman Peter Odote announced that the infrastructure development blueprint proposals include and not limited to the Auditorium overhaul including lights, sound and seats.

Others are open air amphitheatre, mobile stage, perimeter wall, Cabro carpeting for front parking, solar powered garden lights, landscaping, CCTV in strategic areas, Overhaul of washrooms, kitchen, furniture, generator as well as Equipment for studio upgrading and revolving fund for productions,

"The final projection is to have a fully-fledged recording TV studio and film infrastructure at the Little Theatre Club and open a University for the performance arts at the Little theatre club to support talent enhancement in the region," he told the members during his victory speech after flooring his competitor Wilfred Oyuga in the peaceful but tense elections by 52 to 23 votes.

Of late the theatre has generated interest from the right places and people including a recent visit by the C.S Dr. Wario - himself a former actor on the LTC stage not long ago and the Cabinet Secretary for Tourism who also doubles as a patron for the club Hon. NajibBalala. Not to be left behind, the Mombasa County government executives for Tourism and Culture Binty Omar, Hon. Jaramba (Agriculture, Fisheries/Livestock and Lands) Mohamed Abbas, County Executive for Youth, the County Executive for finance Ms. Hazel Koitaba have all come with intentions of providing funding for improvement of the clubs infrastructure.

"Every indication is that the studio equipment will be purchased soon as the county government is quite involved in moving the process forward to conclusion," he told a cheering crowd who had voted late into the night.

With a new term Odote and his team will be ever to live the dream for infrastructure improvement of the club and has proposed and waiting for funding for major infrastructure improvements.

During the elections Janes Owaro garnered 45 votes against Steve Kwena's 30 to clinch the Hon secretary's position as J.N Muga clinched the Treasurer's post beating Hope Baraza by 41 to 34 votes.

Committee members elected were Stephanie Maseki, Carolyne Ngorobi, Ashik Yusuf, Jack Maina, Hilary Namanje, Lucy Syokau, and Fammy Mohammed.

In meeting the objective of the club, the LTC managed to produce at least four of her own plays in the year.

In his speech Odote noted that theatre the world over is becoming a lucrative business and wanted to correct the fact that Mombasa theatre has for a long time has seen low audience attendance.

"Though there has been a steady rise in attendance of plays since the first LTC play of the year  was performed in August last year to date, awareness of the club as a theatre destination will be achieved through aggressive marketing of theatre and related activities," he projected. The LTC has largely stopped being "where is that" to "I know where it is", he said. Adding that this already has led to audience rise and a cure for the disease ADS (Audience Deficiency Syndrome).

Mr Odotte and his team have proposals on how to engage and enhance youth talent for improved livelihoods and to participate in management of youth radicalization by having several engaging and productive programmes for the youth.

He is now at the centre of organizing the first theatre festival in Mombasa from Little Theatre Club in early December this year.

He noted that to have a full turnaround at the theatre, the team needed to have the ears of the highest office in the land.

"During the long stay of President Uhuru Kenyatta at the coast in January this year, together with the club trustee Mr. Kuldip Sondhi and two other people, we strategised on how to seek an audience with H.E. the President and talk to him about LTC," he said.

Odote revealed that during the "Marina" visit, Mr Sondhi got the ear of the President and they spoke about Little Theatre Club.

"This culminated in what is now a possible visit by the head of state to the Little Theatre Club to watch one of Mr. Sondhi's plays and a tour of the club to see the infrastructure," he announced to a warm reception.