Sequel to the outlaw of theatre from the church in the Medieval era, Christian theatre moved from the church to the trade guilds and even beyond but never ended. In Nigeria, the same cycle had been repeated following the introduction of Christian theatre into the church through the window of the Church Missionary Society, followed by early dramatists such as Hubert Ogunde, who temporarily succeeded in infusing theatre into Cantatas but soon deviated from the church centered themes and secularized Christian theatre. Hence, the emergence of Mike Bamiloye and his others in the later parts of the 20th century with Christian theatrical productions that toured around the country under the umbrella of the Mount Zion Faith Ministries (MZFM) which would soon become the household name for Christian theatre and film productions in Nigeria. Although the MZFM diverted into film a few years later, the 21st century saw the inauguration of her Christian theatre arm named Zion Royal Theatre (ZRT) targeted at churning out phenomenal Christian theatrical productions on the contemporary stage. This descriptive study chronicles the events leading to the emergence and progressive practice of Christian theatre in Nigeria by the ZRT. It identifies the point of departure from the old and also documents the styles of practice for the new. ZRT draws a viable connection to the rebirth of regular Christian theatre in Nigeria regarding Christian themes, techniques, and methods of dramatizing biblical stories to contemporary audiences.

Authors:
Olumide Oki, Mount Zion Institute of Christian Drama, Nigeria
Olalekan Olatunji, Mount Zion Institute of Christian Drama, Nigeria

About the Presenter(s)
I am Olumide Joshua Oki, a Lecturer at the Mount Zion Institute of Christian Drama. My research spans Christian Theatre, Mixed Media Directing, and Aesthetic Communication, and presently focusing on Christian Theatre's impact on Nigerian society.

Connect on ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Olumide-Oki

Additional website of interest
https://sunderland.academia.edu/OlumideOki

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