The Alliance Française of Northwestern Connecticut will present “A Voice from the Congo” by Toto Kisaku on Friday, March 31 at 7pm. Mr. Kisaku is a theater director, actor, set designer and producer from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). For more than 17 years, he has traveled the world sharing his experience through shows, workshops, and residencies.
For this presentation, Kisaku will provide historical background about the DRC, examine the influence of past and current rulers and share the story of his life growing up in the DRC. His talk will also touch on his socially conscious theatre work, and his point of view on the cost of freedom.
Kisaku was selected in 2003 among the young artists of Kinshasa by Jacques Livchine and Philip Boulay to represent Congo in the 20th edition at the Limoges festival and to perform in two pieces by Bernard M. Koltes. Kisaku was also in the French version of “Topdog / Underdog” by Suzan L. Parks at the Forum de Blanc Mesnil, the Théâtre Louis Jouvet and the Théâtre de l’Athénée in Paris. He has produced plays such as “Basal’ya Bazoba, “Rencontres au pluriel,” “Surface 1 et 2,” “20 ans, et alors!” and “Mort d’Oluwemi d’Ajumako” among others. Kisaku has also participated in the Avignon, Limoges, Paris Quartier d’Eté, Taz à Oostende, ICAF, Pilotobes, A/D Werf, Right About Now, Toseka, Mantsina, and Connexion Kin festivals.
In 2003, Kisaku founded a theater group, K-Mu Théâtre, (Kinois en Mutation) based in Kinshasa with other young Arts and Drama graduates from the National Institute of Arts as a Centre for Research and Artistic Creation in Urban Areas. Toto Kisaku and K-Mu Théâtre were the 2010 recipients of the Freedom to Create Prize, an international award that supports and recognizes artists who strive for social change in places where there is no freedom to create. The prize was awarded for their production of Basal’ya Bazoba a play about the violent persecution of children accused of witchcraft.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world. With a population of over 80 million, the DRC is the most populated officially Francophone country. This educational and cultural event will be held at the offices of the Alliance Francaise, located at 1 Pomperaug Office Park in Southbury.
Mr. Kisaku’s presentation will be given primarily in French, however there will be visuals and/or translations for those who are less fluent in French. After the presentation there will be light refreshments served and time to further discuss questions with our guest speaker.
Please call 203-707-0710 to RSVP as there is limited seating. A suggested donation of $5 is kindly requested to help defray the costs of this event.
The Alliance Française of Northwestern Connecticut is a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to promote the French language and the many cultures of French-speaking countries. For further information call (203) 707-0710 or visit our website: www.afnwct.org.