ACORNS AND OAKS: THE NATIONAL THEATRE AND THE REST OF US.

The paper explores the goals of the National Theatre of Nigeria (NTN) in the overarching interest of national integration. It focuses on the relationship between the national theatre as the epitome of performing unity and projecting national interests and the various public theatres at the regional and community levels. Adopting historical-analytic, key informant interview (KII) and direct observation methods, the paper explores the history of the national theatre to its present exploits by looking at the operations of the theatre from inception to the current dispensation. It uses mainstream theories of integration (i.e., assimilation, liberal integration, multiculturalism) as lenses to explore existing relations between the regional or state public theatres and community theatres referred to here as acorns and the national theatre referred to as an oak. The study posits that for the national theatre in the current dispensation to be effective in reflecting the goals and performing its objectives bringing in the best performances, artists and artistic pieces from the regions and communities (acorns) to showcase the various talents in the various parts of the country to the national theatre (oak) may be options to be explored. Furthermore, a number of approaches including sourcing for talent from the regions, encouraging regional presentations and festivals that project various regions may begin to give it the national outlook. Taking leadership of the public theatres which is the expectation for oaks, may involve reviving theatre performance outside of the comfort of the physical location, by moving out of the edifice and performing within regions and communities. In this connection, the rich cultural artefacts and performative ethos of Nigeria are sustainably preserved. Hence, all stakeholders in the creative and cultural industries (CCIs) in Nigeria should focus on reviving both cultural and modern performances through a deliberate strategy of diverse ways of ensuring inclusion and using the institution of the national theatre to give the needed impetus for a robust theatre engagement at the centre and within communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]