Heritage Theater Series launches Ghana's story

Heritage Theatre Series, has launched a theatre series that tell the story of Ghana's birth and emergence into its current modern state.

The series which is a theatical spectacle relies on dance, music, poetry and drama to capture the transition of Ghana from arrival and settlement of various ethnic groups through to the periods of slave trade, colonialism, independence, military rule and multi-party democracy.

It captures various seminal moments in the nation's history and depicts the important aspects of its culture.

The production speaks directly to Ghanaians and celebrates their diversity and aims at igniting a popular interest in the country’s history as well as promoting unity and tolerance and preserving and promoting national heritage.

The concept would be managed by Bambu Centre and Production 360, an event management company in Accra.

The main sponsor for the production is Key Soap, a heritage brand manufactured by Uniliver Ghana Limited.

Mrs Dzifa Abla Gomashie, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts noted that this it is time for Ghanaians to tell their own story from their perspective.

She said it is worrying that Ghanaian comedians does not groom and develop the younger generation into comedy to tell the country’s story.

The Deputy Minister expressed worry about the nature and dressing of Ghanaian queen mothers, actors and actresses during occasions and in movies, adding that images could change perceptions and behaviourial change.

She called for support from the private sector for the movie industry in order to succeed in their production.

Mrs Gomashie said the Ministry has a data of activities that could be used to promote the country’s tourism, culture and creative arts industries and urged interested persons to access it.

She thanked Uniliver Ghana for accepting to sponsor the production and urged the media to support and project the country’s local tourism brands as it generates revenue for development.

Mr Clarence Nartey, Brand Retail Director of Uniliver Ghana said his outfit is proud to be associated with the production.

He said the key soap brand has been part of Ghana's theatre series for decades to tell the Ghanaian stories, adding that, the past 50 years, key soap has been an iconic brand in the country.

Mr Nartey noted that the production focuses on Ghana and would sell out the good culture and tradition of Ghana to the World at large.

The first part of the production focuses on the arrival and settlement of various tribes, the advent of slave trade and colonialism and the independence struggle while the second part dwells on Ghana's emergence post-independence and depicts the nation’s experiment with several systems of governments.

The third part focuses on Ghana’s post 1992 and also depicts a nation settling into multi-party democracy.

Mr Abdul-Moomen Muslim, popularly known as “Chief Moomen”, a member of the Heritage Theater Series said the group seeks to position itself as a major stakeholder in Ghana’s theatre industry.

It said the group is looking forward to 2017 during Ghana’s 60th Anniversary Celebration, to stage all the three productions again.

He said: “After 2017, Heritage Series will begin focusing on various personalities in our history to tell their stories and explore opportunities to tell the story in film.”