Title

No Gun Salute for Ofeke

Playwright

Sixtus Chetachi Igbokwe

Director

TBA

Stage Manager

Mathew Kier

Category

Reading, Cosmo Catalano Acting Studio (TB 172)

First Rehearsal

Readings have a total of 20 hours of rehearsal
Rehearsals may begin April 1

Performances

TBA

Roles to be cast

Age (Presentation)

Gender (Presentation)

Description

OFEKE

35

Male

A native of Umunnawuike and a non-initiate of the masquerade cult.

ULAKU

26

Female

Ofeke’s fiancé of six years and a trader.

AJANGWO

26

Male

Ulaku’s secret lover, and a delivery boy.

MR SABATO

52

Male

A landlord.

MAZI OBOSI

56

Male

Elder of Umunnawuike and cult head.

MAZI JAANNAM

55

Male

Elder of Umunnawuike.

MAZI IBEZIMAKO

54

Male

Elder of Umunnawuike.

MAZI EJENGA

53

Male

Elder of Umunnawuike.

MARKET CHIEF

45

Female

Leader of the women of the market.

WOMEN*

Various ages

Females

Various women

PRIEST

50

Male

Spiritual head of Umunnawuike.

WIDOW

50

Female

Villager.

BOY

25

Male

Widow’s son.

CHORUS*

Various ages

Various

Choral group.

Synopsis

After his fourth and final attempt to be admitted into the Ikenga masquerade cult, Ofeke gives up his quest for true manhood which the cult confers on its subjects. His resignation from the pursuit is accompanied by a detest for it, for in his words, “They failed, not I.” But his sudden discovery of a personal secret of the cult leader, Obosi, offers Ofeke a real bargaining voice, but fleeting power. No Gun Salute for Ofeke is a meditation on the creative and the destructive passions of love.

Notices

• The lead role of OFEKE must be played by an African or African American male actor, but the other roles are open to people of any race or gender identity.

• All the actors will play the roles of WOMEN and CHORUS during the reading.

Important Dates/Holidays

 3/24 Purim*,  3/24 Palm Sunday, 3/25 Holi Phagwa*, 3/25 Lailat al Bara*, 3/27 Nuzul Quran*, 3/29 Good Friday, 3/31 Easter, 4/4 Qing Ming Jie, 4/6 Laylat al-Qadr*, 4/9 Ougadi/Ugaadi, 4/10 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)*, 4/17 Ram Navami, 4/21 Mahavir Jayanti, 4/22-4/30 Passover*, 4/24 Theravada (New Year), 5/1 Beltane-Samhain, 5/3 Good Friday (Orthodox)