The 2023 train of the National Troupe of Nigeria’s Town and Gown landed in the cold city of Jos on Tuesday 25th April 2023 where students from St. John’s College performed a play to the audience of students, teachers, and special guests. Command Secondary School was the next stop on Wednesday 26th April while the train eventually took a rest today (28th April 2023) after landing at St. Louis College Jos, being the last venue for this round of events.
National Troupe of Nigeria’s Town and Gown was conceptualized to deepen the relationship between universities theatre arts departments and the local communities. The term "gown" represents the academic communities, while "town" represents the local communities. Town and Gown grants opportunities of exposures and relationality to theatre arts students while helping them imbibe social communality at the same time.
This edition of the NTN Town and Gown was a partnership with the department of Theatre and Film Arts of the prestigious University of Jos (UNIJOS) and particularly with 200 level students who have carried out the project in partial fulfillment of their Theatre in Education Course. These students have engaged the three select schools and worked tirelessly with them to create individual plays to educate the audience on various topics which resonates with education, cultural and social values.
When theatre is integrated into the community and involves local people, it can become a powerful tool for building relationships and addressing local issues. By involving local people in the creation and production of theatre, the community can take ownership of the art form and use it as a means of expressing their own concerns and issues.
It was a tripodal and wider working relationship – NTN on one leg, UNIJOS and the secondary schools on other legs. "Town and Gown" is an important relationship which requires ongoing communication and collaboration to ensure a positive and productive partnership between universities and local communities.
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