Followers

The Easter play Followers will be presented by Fifth Wall Productions at Braeside Theatre, Lavington, Nairobi, from March 27 to 29.

It centres on five women around the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, with an all-star cast led by Marianne Nungo, Nyokabi Macharia, Foi Wambui, Lorna Lemi and Eunice Mwabe.

Written by Mercy Mutisya, Followers reimagines the story surrounding the arrest of Jesus through the perspectives of five women caught in a crisis.

On that night, Mama Simon (Macharia), Joanna (Lemi), Anna (Wambui), Esther (Mwabe) and Claudia (Nungo) find themselves in restricted temple grounds. If they stay inside, they face religious law, and if they stay outside, government punishment awaits them.

Taking place during political crackdowns and religious conflict, the play explores parallels between ancient Jerusalem and contemporary Kenyan society. Through the use of five female characters, it humanises the intense political and religious conflicts.

Mwabe, who is a curator, actor and producer of the show, explains that the decision to centre women changes how the story is experienced. She says many Biblical stories talk about women as if they are distant.

She adds that some of the characters in the play were partly inspired by limited historical references. Some of them existed, while others were made up based on what happened at the time. “We were looking at the women who followed Jesus during his Passion. We don’t have too much information about them, so the play is semi-fictional,” she says.

Mwabe says stories are written within a system. If a power system disenfranchises a people, that will affect how a story is being written. The play also compares the past and present systems of power.

“When Jesus was being crucified in Jerusalem, it was during a colonial regime, and that still continues in today’s world,” she states.

Mwabe explains that Followers is a story of both faith and power, with the humanity of the women as pivotal.

Come Forth

The Drama Ministry at Nairobi Chapel is set to stage Come Forth, an Easter production to be performed at their Ngong Road church on April 5. The play is a story of hope.

Director and playwright of the play Andrew Odang’a says that Come Forth looks into the story of Jesus through Lazarus’ resurrection.

The play merges Biblical facts with modern-day fictional settings, with a podcast host inviting two guests to discuss the events surrounding Easter. One guest is ‘Mary Magdalene’. “In the same way other plays use a narrator, this one uses the podcast host as a facilitator who seeks to fill in gaps,” says Odang’a.

The production also incorporates elements of contemporary stories, such as a modernised funeral setting that includes figures like politicians who use Lazarus’ burial as a campaigning tool for the 2027 general election.

Babylon The Musical

Babylon The Musical by International Christian Centre (ICC) Nairobi tells the story of Nebuchadnezzar, exploring themes of pride, humility, idolatry, and the dangers that come with overconfidence. It examines what happens when people become overconfident and think too highly of themselves. It will be shown from March 31 to April 5.

“What happens to the places and people around you when you are filled with pride?” poses playwright and director of the play, Gibson Ndaiga.

Ndaiga picked this Biblical story because he was interested in it, and he had never seen it being staged before.

The ICC Nairobi stages plays in their church every Easter. Last year, Trial of Hearts, a musical about the events leading to the crucifixion of Jesus, earned them a nomination for Best Producer at the Kenya Theatre Awards 2026. The play was attended by more than 2,000 people over the course of its run.

Ndaiga explains that the Easter staging at ICC Nairobi does not revolve only around resurrection themes. They stage musicals almost every year during Easter, and a lot of the time, they don’t revolve around Jesus’ crucifixion. Previously, they have staged Biblical and fantastical stories.

He credits the ICC head pastor, who has a passion for creative arts, for funding productions; therefore, they match theatrical standards and are free of charge for audiences.

“Staging plays around Easter supports the arts and creates a new avenue for ministry. It was initiated by the church and is funded and guided by the church,” he says.

The Resurrection: An Easter Acapella Experience

This will involve a cappella groups and spoken word artists, where their art traces the crucifixion of Jesus and his ascension.

The event features music, storytelling, worship, and spoken word that tells the Easter message in a contemporary fashion.

This family event will be staged at the Nairobi Cinema on April 4.