A total of 119 aspiring actors, singers, and dancers participated in auditions for the Safaricom Hook Hip Hop Musical held over the weekend at Mama Grace Social Hall in Kisumu.

The auditions, which attracted creatives aged 18 years and above, marked the third stop of the national talent search after previous auditions in Kakamega and Embu.

The initiative is being undertaken by Safaricom in partnership with Nairobi Performing Arts Studio to develop a new hip-hop musical aimed at promoting youth empowerment and creating opportunities for young people in the creative industry.

Stuart Nash, producer and director of the Safaricom Hook Musical and one of the judges, said auditions were being held in eight centers across the country to identify actors, singers, and dancers who will proceed to the national finals in Nairobi.

“We’re developing a brand new hip-hop musical for promoting youth empowerment and to give youth an opportunity in the arts because, you know, it’s so hard for them to really get that initial opportunity,” said Nash.

He said the quality of talent presented during the Kisumu auditions, particularly among dancers, had been impressive.

“I’m auditioning actors and dancers, and the level of dancing is really high. We actually had called back more than half the people that we saw as dancers yesterday, so it’s going to be really tough choosing those few that are going to go to Nairobi for the finals,” he said.

At the time of the interview, the Kisumu auditions had proceeded to the callback stage, where performers who had advanced from the first round were required to showcase their abilities in singing, dancing, and acting.

Following the auditions and callbacks, five performers from Kisumu—Michael Jonnes, Victoria Ojiayo, Stephen Ochieng, Brian Oloo, and Janet Amoke—were selected to advance to the next stage of the national competition in Nairobi.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Safaricom Hook Hip Hop Musical auditions and to have my talent recognised here in Kisumu. This experience has given me the confidence to keep pursuing my passion, and I am excited to take what I have learnt to the next stage of the competition,” said Brian Oloo, a dancer.

Nash said successful auditionees from different parts of the country would have their travel to Nairobi, accommodation, food, and participation in rehearsals catered for by the organisers.

He said the national finals are scheduled for December, with rehearsals expected to begin in January and continue through March before the musical is staged at the Kenya National Theatre.

The production will subsequently tour different parts of the country, with Kisumu included among the destinations.

“We do the production in March. After that production at the National Theatre, the show goes on tour around the country. Actually Kisumu is on that list for the tours as well, so we’ll be coming back,” said Nash.

The national final is expected to bring together about 40 to 50 performers, although the number of successful participants from each audition center will depend on the quality of talent identified.

Besides the auditions, participants in Kisumu also had an opportunity to take part in free practical workshops in acting, music, and directing led by practitioners in the performing arts.

The workshops were conducted by Gadwill Odhiambo, Hellen Mtawali, and Stuart Nash and formed part of the initiative’s focus on developing the skills and confidence of young creatives.

The programme is being conducted under the theme “Game Iko On,” which encourages young people to pursue their passions and actively participate in shaping their futures.

The Kisumu auditions are part of a wider national search that will proceed to other centres, including Nakuru, Kenyatta University, Eldoret, Mombasa, and Nairobi, before the national finalists are selected.

By Mabel Keya-Shikuku and Chrispine Onyango Oduor