Pulitzer Winner Lynn Nottage Leads Masterclass for...

Pulitzer Winner Lynn Nottage Leads Masterclass for Zimbabwean Playwrights

Witness Runodada Zim Now reporter

Celebrated playwright Lynn Nottage, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, is currently in Zimbabwe leading an intensive Re-Write Masterclass, a milestone event for the country’s creative writing and theatre communities.

Hosted by Almasi Collaborative Arts in partnership with the Zimbabwe German Society, the two-week masterclass is being held from July 5 to July 19, 2025, at the Zimbabwe German Society in Harare.

Nottage, best known for her award-winning plays Sweat and Ruined, is renowned for her powerful, socially engaged storytelling that often centers on the lives of Black working-class individuals.

Her visit to Zimbabwe marks a significant moment in the local theatre landscape, offering rare and invaluable mentorship to six Zimbabwean playwrights: Amanda Ranganawa (Mutare), Batsirai Chigama (Harare), Kingsley Chinhanu (Mutare), Philani Nyoni (Bulawayo), Rudo Mutangadura (Harare), and Tatenda Mutyambizi (Harare).

The Re-Write Masterclass forms a central pillar of Almasi’s new initiative, Africa Voices Now, A Festival of New African Plays, aimed at elevating and globalizing African narratives. The program emphasizes re-writing as a vital tool in the development of polished, professional works.

With Nottage’s guidance, the selected playwrights are reshaping their plays to meet international standards, culminating in a public showcase of scenes from their works-in-progress on Saturday, July 19, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Zimbabwe German Society. Admission is free.