Yaw Asare

Yaw Asare was a Ghanaian academic, playwright, dramatist and director.[1]

Early life and education

Asare was born in 1954 at Nkonya-Tayi, a town in the Oti Region.[2] He had his primary school and middle school education at Nkonya Ahenkro, and his secondary education at Nkonya Secondary School where he obtained his Ordinary-Level certificate in 1971.[2] Asare continued at St. Francis Teachers' Training College, Hohoe where he was awarded the post secondary Teachers' Certificate A, and the University of Ghana, where he obtained a Diploma in Theatre Arts from the School of Performing Arts with Dance as a major subject.[2] In 1982, Asare returned to the University of Ghana to pursue a bachelor's degree programme in English and Theatre Arts.[2] He followed it up in 1990 by undertaking a Master Philosophy in African Studies, specialising in African Oral Performance Arts. He graduated in 1993.[2]

Career

Following his teacher training at Hohoe, he taught for three years at Pedeku-Ada.[2] After his completing his diploma programme from the University of Ghana, Asare resumed teaching for another three years at Agogo Teachers' Training College, and Nkonya Secondary School.[2] From 1988 to 1989, Asare taught at the University of Ghana School of Performing Arts and the National Commission on Culture.[2] Later in 1994, Asare moved to the National Theater to work as the artistic director of the Abibigromma, a resident drama company.[2][3] He returned to the University of Ghana in 1999 where he wrote for newspapers, radio, television, the stage and video.[2] He founded Dawuro Africa, a campus based experimental theatre company. Asare was planning to further his studies by pursuing a doctorate degree that was going to make use of his research into folklore and popular performance, and connect it with the productions he was putting on.[2] He was due to leave for the United States of America on 18 August 2002 to begin his doctoral research at University of California, Santa Barbara on a Fulbright scholarship.[2]

Death

Asare's untimely passing occurred on 1 August 2002 after battling an illness.[4] He died at the age of forty-eight (48).[2][3][4]

Works
  • King Kokroko, (1994)[2]
  • Bride of the Gods, (1996)[2]
  • The Choice, (1996)[2]
  • Ananse and the Price of Greed, (TV 1996)[2]
  • Ananse in the Land of Idiots, (unpublished)[5]

References
  1. Kariye, Dr Badal W. A Book of African Writers. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-1-312-26809-8.
  2. "YAW ASARE (1954-2002). A TRIBUTE". ALA Bulletin. 28: 41.
  3. Gibbs, James; Gibbs, James Morel (2009). Nkyin-kyin: Essays on the Ghanaian Theatre. Rodopi. ISBN 978-90-420-2517-2.
  4. ALA Bulletin. African Literature Association. 2002.
  5. Anyidoho, Kofi; Gibbs, James (2000). FonTomFrom: Contemporary Ghanaian Literature, Theatre and Film. Rodopi. ISBN 978-90-420-1283-7.
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