Help Founder of Youth Theatre Kenya Masters Fund
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Introduction:
Hello,
My name is Jazz Moll. I am a director and co-founder of Youth Theatre Kenya (2015).
I currently hold a place to study for a Masters Degree in Advanced Theatre Practice at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
For the past 7 years, I have worked to grow and build the performing arts industry in Kenya from the grassroots up. Through my work with Youth Theatre Kenya, we have offered classes, training, workshops and productions/performance opportunities to the Youth of Kenya with spectacular results.
I have a vision and mission to reshape the creative economy and build Kenya and Nairobi into the creative hub of Africa.
Pursuing my Masters Degree is the crucial next step. By getting my Masters, I will be able to bring my knowledge and experience back to Kenya to further teach and guide the current and future generations of artists. In addition, I will be able to leverage and grow my creative network to better serve the growth of the creative economy.
Please help me, by donating and passing this message on. By doing so, you will have helped me, so I can help serve others.
Background
I grew up in Nairobi Kenya and was fortunate enough to attend Braeburn Primary School. As a child, I had my hands in everything and everything I could get involved with.
. I played all the termly sports, Football, Hockey, Rugby and Cricket from u9-all the way to the Open XI in college, captaining and leading teams and winning several medals and tournaments along the way.
When I was not on a sports field, I could be found in classes or in the Model United Nations platform, debating about the pressing issues of the world and the solutions for them. Or, editing a school newspaper or the Ted x club. I enjoyed all these activities thoroughly and I am so grateful for the skills and lessons they taught me along the way.
But it was on stage, and in Drama classes, where I always felt something special and different was happening. I performed in my first class assembly in year 5. After that, I was scouted by the school Drama Teacher who invited me to audition for the school musical, Grease, which would be happening next year. I did, and I got my first taste of performance playing the role of Doody, one of the grease lighting crew. At the time, I was the only year 6 in a cast made exclusively out of year 7 & 8s.
In the following 2 years I again performed in the school shows, Lion King in year 7, where I starred as the older Simba, and then in year 8, I was able to perform in a show which would deeply guide and mould my future- Kesho Amahoro.
Kesho Amahoro
Kesho Amahoro is a true story, based on the personal experiences of the Playwright (Lizzie Jago) and brought to life by the magical songs of the Composer and Musical Director (Anna Rusbatch). The story is set in the Rwandan refugee camps of Northern Tanzania in 1994 and it follows the young refugee Esperance, and her siblings, as they struggle to survive. They meet with the resilient Kasulu kids, Rwandan refugee children, with no parents, who have formed themselves into a tight-knit gang. Together they face incredible setbacks and deep heartache, but through it all they still manage to look positively to the future.
https://www.keshoamahoro.com/
My Journey continued
Kesho Amahoro was the first story that was based around an African context, and it showed me how many of our own stories we had still not told.
In 2013, I was in the cast that took Kesho Amahoro to the International Youth Arts Festival (IYAF)- in London Kingston and performed in the 900-seat venue, the Rose Theatre. The festival was a real eye-opener and I was introduced to the greater world of theatre.
I returned home after the tour and I couldn’t wait to do more shows, get more training, and develop my career. Sadly the opportunities were not available.
In 2014 we went back to IYAF, and performed a second show, Albatross Wings of Freedom- https://www.albatrossmusical.com/
It was here where I first dipped my toes in directing and acted as an assistant director. I was also introduced formally to the National Youth Music Theatre(UK). You see, having noticed the huge gap in Theatre opportunities in Kenya, we returned to IYAF this year with the idea of setting up our own Youth Theatre, and we wanted to model ourselves on NYMT- a truly inspiring organisation and one of the best youth music theatres in the world.
.
At the end of the tour, sitting around a small Kings college kitchenette dormitory, I and the 3 other co-founders, decided to start the Youth Theatre of Kenya.
A year later in 2015, YTK was born, and I directed my very first show- Kesho Amahoro.
The rest as they say is history.
We went on to continue writing and producing our own shows all based on True Kenyan and African stories.
Musicals and Shows
2016- Albatross Wings of Freedom- A musical about the slave trade along the coast of East Africa. -
-BTS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPdlbM2KFEU&t=713s
2017- Iron Snake- A musical based on the East African Railway, and the building and birth of modern day Kenya.
2018- Promise- 100 years on from the end of WW1, we explored the role Kenyans played in the war effort. Our promise is to remmber their legacy and their contribution.
-BTS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd238SU9r6w&t=3s
2019- Matumaini (Hopes)- A story based on the amazing Art of Music Foundation, and specifically their Ghetto Classics program, which teaches classical music to impoverished youth in slums. Making music make a difference and provide hope.
-Digital documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRTmBNTJ6Jw&t=93s
Tidbit
The audio track for my video is actually one of the songs from Matumaini!
2020- Big Small World- An environmental educational play targeting primary school children, aiming to educate them around the mini eco-system that survives around elephants. This play is part of the environmental education and outreach program by the award-winning film, The Elephant Queen.
2020-2022- The Trial of Athena- The 3rd of the environmental plays, this time targeting a tertiary audience. The show puts elephant Matriarch, Athena, on trial in a human court for the alleged murder of a boy. The show deals with the issues revolving around human-elephant conflict, and asks the audience to play the Jury and decide on the fate of Athena!
Classes & Workshops
We have held an array of classes and workshops across Nairobi. We have also been able to expose our community to international artists and organisations who have held workshops for YTK.
2018- National Youth Music Theatre- Workshops
2019- 2020 Covid- virtual-- an array of artists and organisations including.
-Broadway Dreams- Quentin Earl Darrington, Jennifer Geller
-Frantic Assembly
-Connect at a distance
-Clare Wheeler- Vocal classes
-Katie Beard Movement classes
2021- Kevin Winebold- Disney Teaching artist
2022- Broadway Arts Community
https://nymt.org.uk/
https://creativeyouthcharity.org/fuse-international/
https://www.artofmusic.co.ke/
https://www.keshoamahoro.com/
https://www.albatrossmusical.com/
I have also been fortunate to receive the prestigious Leverhulme Scholarship to pursue this degree.
https://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/
EXTENDED VIDEO VERSION
Hello,
My name is Jazz Moll. I am a director and co-founder of Youth Theatre Kenya (2015).
I currently hold a place to study for a Masters Degree in Advanced Theatre Practice at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
For the past 7 years, I have worked to grow and build the performing arts industry in Kenya from the grassroots up. Through my work with Youth Theatre Kenya, we have offered classes, training, workshops and productions/performance opportunities to the Youth of Kenya with spectacular results.
I have a vision and mission to reshape the creative economy and build Kenya and Nairobi into the creative hub of Africa.
Pursuing my Masters Degree is the crucial next step. By getting my Masters, I will be able to bring my knowledge and experience back to Kenya to further teach and guide the current and future generations of artists. In addition, I will be able to leverage and grow my creative network to better serve the growth of the creative economy.
Please help me, by donating and passing this message on. By doing so, you will have helped me, so I can help serve others.
Background
I grew up in Nairobi Kenya and was fortunate enough to attend Braeburn Primary School. As a child, I had my hands in everything and everything I could get involved with.
. I played all the termly sports, Football, Hockey, Rugby and Cricket from u9-all the way to the Open XI in college, captaining and leading teams and winning several medals and tournaments along the way.
When I was not on a sports field, I could be found in classes or in the Model United Nations platform, debating about the pressing issues of the world and the solutions for them. Or, editing a school newspaper or the Ted x club. I enjoyed all these activities thoroughly and I am so grateful for the skills and lessons they taught me along the way.
But it was on stage, and in Drama classes, where I always felt something special and different was happening. I performed in my first class assembly in year 5. After that, I was scouted by the school Drama Teacher who invited me to audition for the school musical, Grease, which would be happening next year. I did, and I got my first taste of performance playing the role of Doody, one of the grease lighting crew. At the time, I was the only year 6 in a cast made exclusively out of year 7 & 8s.
In the following 2 years I again performed in the school shows, Lion King in year 7, where I starred as the older Simba, and then in year 8, I was able to perform in a show which would deeply guide and mould my future- Kesho Amahoro.
Kesho Amahoro
Kesho Amahoro is a true story, based on the personal experiences of the Playwright (Lizzie Jago) and brought to life by the magical songs of the Composer and Musical Director (Anna Rusbatch). The story is set in the Rwandan refugee camps of Northern Tanzania in 1994 and it follows the young refugee Esperance, and her siblings, as they struggle to survive. They meet with the resilient Kasulu kids, Rwandan refugee children, with no parents, who have formed themselves into a tight-knit gang. Together they face incredible setbacks and deep heartache, but through it all they still manage to look positively to the future.
https://www.keshoamahoro.com/
My Journey continued
Kesho Amahoro was the first story that was based around an African context, and it showed me how many of our own stories we had still not told.
In 2013, I was in the cast that took Kesho Amahoro to the International Youth Arts Festival (IYAF)- in London Kingston and performed in the 900-seat venue, the Rose Theatre. The festival was a real eye-opener and I was introduced to the greater world of theatre.
I returned home after the tour and I couldn’t wait to do more shows, get more training, and develop my career. Sadly the opportunities were not available.
In 2014 we went back to IYAF, and performed a second show, Albatross Wings of Freedom- https://www.albatrossmusical.com/
It was here where I first dipped my toes in directing and acted as an assistant director. I was also introduced formally to the National Youth Music Theatre(UK). You see, having noticed the huge gap in Theatre opportunities in Kenya, we returned to IYAF this year with the idea of setting up our own Youth Theatre, and we wanted to model ourselves on NYMT- a truly inspiring organisation and one of the best youth music theatres in the world.
.
At the end of the tour, sitting around a small Kings college kitchenette dormitory, I and the 3 other co-founders, decided to start the Youth Theatre of Kenya.
A year later in 2015, YTK was born, and I directed my very first show- Kesho Amahoro.
The rest as they say is history.
We went on to continue writing and producing our own shows all based on True Kenyan and African stories.
Musicals and Shows
2016- Albatross Wings of Freedom- A musical about the slave trade along the coast of East Africa. -
-BTS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPdlbM2KFEU&t=713s
2017- Iron Snake- A musical based on the East African Railway, and the building and birth of modern day Kenya.
2018- Promise- 100 years on from the end of WW1, we explored the role Kenyans played in the war effort. Our promise is to remmber their legacy and their contribution.
-BTS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd238SU9r6w&t=3s
2019- Matumaini (Hopes)- A story based on the amazing Art of Music Foundation, and specifically their Ghetto Classics program, which teaches classical music to impoverished youth in slums. Making music make a difference and provide hope.
-Digital documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRTmBNTJ6Jw&t=93s
Tidbit
The audio track for my video is actually one of the songs from Matumaini!
2020- Big Small World- An environmental educational play targeting primary school children, aiming to educate them around the mini eco-system that survives around elephants. This play is part of the environmental education and outreach program by the award-winning film, The Elephant Queen.
2020-2022- The Trial of Athena- The 3rd of the environmental plays, this time targeting a tertiary audience. The show puts elephant Matriarch, Athena, on trial in a human court for the alleged murder of a boy. The show deals with the issues revolving around human-elephant conflict, and asks the audience to play the Jury and decide on the fate of Athena!
Classes & Workshops
We have held an array of classes and workshops across Nairobi. We have also been able to expose our community to international artists and organisations who have held workshops for YTK.
2018- National Youth Music Theatre- Workshops
2019- 2020 Covid- virtual-- an array of artists and organisations including.
-Broadway Dreams- Quentin Earl Darrington, Jennifer Geller
-Frantic Assembly
-Connect at a distance
-Clare Wheeler- Vocal classes
-Katie Beard Movement classes
2021- Kevin Winebold- Disney Teaching artist
2022- Broadway Arts Community
https://nymt.org.uk/
https://creativeyouthcharity.org/fuse-international/
https://www.artofmusic.co.ke/
https://www.keshoamahoro.com/
https://www.albatrossmusical.com/
I have also been fortunate to receive the prestigious Leverhulme Scholarship to pursue this degree.
https://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/
EXTENDED VIDEO VERSION
Fundraising team (2)
Michael Moll
Organizer
Vancouver, BC
Jazz Moll
Team member