1. CELEBRATING RAISEDON BAYA : A LIVING ARTS & THEATRE ICON

A thread....

Raisedon Baya ( @RaisedonB) is a celebrated playwright, festival manager & theatre director in the arts in Zimbabwe. The Bulawayo based arts guru has been consistent in his great works over the years.

2. His plays have been performed internationally by Amakhosi Theatre (Amakhosi Cultural Center), Rooftops Promotions, and Siyaya Arts. Raisedon Baya is a Sobukhazi & Mzilikazi high schools alumni.

3. His iconic works include Witnesses & Victims, Rags & Garbage, Madmen & Fools and the banned plays : Super Patriots & Morons & The Crocodile of Zambezi. For The Crocodile of Zambezi he received, with Christopher Mlalazi, a Novib-Pen International Freedom of Expression Award.

4.His collection of plays Tomorrow's People was published in 2009. At some point this book was part of the syllabus for Advanced Level English in Zimbabwe.

5. Raisedon is the Director of the Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo.

6. He is also a founding trustee of the Bulawayo Arts Awards.

7."It all started at school. By accident actually. I was too noisy & very playful in class so my literature teacher then, Tony Magagula, took us to drama club to help direct our energies. It worked. But also growing up in Makhokhoba Amakhosi Theatre was a big influence. "

8. "We later formed our own arts group called Township Artists. We moved to Amakhosi when we started doing film. Amakhosi has a film programme called Happy Valley Film Workshop. That's when we started film."

9. Raisedon is also a columnist, former teacher & National Arts Council employee who has worked with ZbcTv as a producer & commissioning editor. He has dedicated his life for the development of arts & culture in Zimbabwe. May his star shine brighter & brighter!