Prof. Awo Mana Asiedu

Dr. Awo Mana Asiedu is a Senior Lecturer and currently the Acting Director of the School of Performing Arts of the University of Ghana, Legon. She joined the department in 1989 as a Teaching Assistant and  appointed a Lecturer in 1994. She was  promoted to her present position in 2008. Dr. Awo Mana has been an external examiner for the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of Education in Winneba since 2011. She was also an  Assistant to the Associate Director of ACLS, African Humanities Fellowship Programme for Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania and Nigeria where she was responsible for administering Fellowships and organizing international meetings and workshops for existing and potential Fellows. She was nominated a Member of the panel of judges for the Wole Soyinka Prize for African Literature in  2012. Awo has also been   re-elected  a member of the Executive Committee of the International Federation of Theatre Research (IFTR)  from July 2013 to July 2017. She is a member of several boards, committees and a contributing editor of Theatre Research International,  the Journal of the International Federation of Theatre Research.

CONTACT E- MAILS: amasiedu@ug.edu.gh / awo_asiedu@hotmail.com

EDUCATION
• PhD, Drama and Theatre Arts, University of Birmingham. July 2003.
• M.Phil, Adult Education, University of Ghana. June 1993.
• BA, Drama and Theatre Arts and English, (2nd Class Honours, Upper Division), University of Ghana, 1988.

RESEARCH INTERESTS
• Theory and Criticism

SCHOLARSHIPS/GRANTS /AWARDS
University of Ghana Research Grant – 2009-2011 
International Federation of Theatre Research (IFTR) Travel Bursaries for Annual Conferences- 2008, 2010 and 2012 
TV Africa Obaa Mo award. 2011
Commonwealth Academic Staff Scholarship, September 1999–September 2002.
University of Ghana Graduate Scholarship, 1990 – 1992.

MAJOR RESEARCH/PROJECTS

• 2012-date : Roverman Productions at the Ghana National Theatre: Theatre Enterprise and Audience Development.
• 2009-2011 :  Mapping Regional Trends of Modern African Theatre: The Ghanaian Situation.’ A two year research project funded by a University of Ghana research grant. .
• 2008-2011: Pathways to Women’s Empowerment’ A UK Department for International Development funded Research project. I am a partner in the Research Programme Consortium, working on the Popular Culture Hub. (Work in progress)
• 2007-2008 : Language and Body in Performance: A Study of Student Performers at the University of Ghana. 1999-2003:  West African Theatre Audiences: A study of Ghanaian and Nigerian Audiences of Literary Theatre in English. PhD. Research.
• 1998:  Drama project undertaken for Community School Alliance, (CSA) an NGO, under the auspices of USAID. I wrote a proposal for the project, supervised resource persons (recruited from my graduating students) to develop, direct and use six community based educational drama on the need for community participation and contribution to the improvement of primary Education in Ghana. This project covered six districts in the Central, Eastern and Ashanti Regions.
• 1994-1995:  Co-researcher – “Integrating Health Education into Malaria Control as Part of PHC in Rural Ghana”. (A health Education project for the Dangme West District). I was in charge of the drama component of the educational tools. This involved the training of health personnel in the creation and use of drama for education.
• 1991- 1993 : Akan Drama on GBC Television as a Tool for the Education of Adults in Selected Parts of the Accra Metropolis. MPhil research

PUBLICATIONS
Journal Articles

• Adomako Ampofo A, Asiedu, Awo M, (2012) ‘Changing Representations of Women in Ghanaian Popular Music: Marrying Research and Advocacy’, in Current Sociology. Volume 60. 2, pp 258-279.Asiedu Awo Mana. (2011) ‘Nneora: An African Doll’s House: A Study of the Virtues of Womanhood’. In Canadian Review of Comparative Literature. Volume 38.2, pp. 172-185.

• Asiedu Awo Mana, Sarah Dorgbadzi and Ekua Ekumah, (2011) ‘Language and Body in Performance: Working across languages in the Ghanaian production I Told You So’ in Contemporary Theatre Review Volume 21 Issue 1 pp. 50-59.
• Asiedu Awo Mana. (2010) ‘Masculine Women Feminist Men: Assertions and Contradictions in Mawugbe’s ‘In the Chest of a woman’. In Theatre History Studies. Volume 30, pp 122-137.
• Asiedu, Awo M. (2008) ‘Making Use of the Stage in West Africa: The Role of Audiences in the Production of Efficacious Theatre.’ Studies in Theatre and Performance, Vol.28, 3 pp. 223-36.
• Asiedu, Awo M. (2008) ‘Returning to the “Motherland”, Illusions and Realities: A Study of Aidoo’s The Dilemma of a Ghost and Onwueme’s Legacies/The Missing Face’. The Legon Journal of Humanities Vol. 19 pp.1-19
• Asiedu Awo M. with Dorgbadzi Sarah, (2006) ‘Competitive Youth Theatre Festivals in Ghana: Stage Motion and Studrafest’ In African Theatre: Youth pp. 16-22.
• Asiedu, Awo (1999) ‘Drama in Ghana: A Historical Perspective’ Journal of Performing Arts Vol. 3 (1), pp. 1-17.

Book Chapters

• Asiedu, Awo M ‘The Enduring Relevance of Kobina Sekyi’s The Blinkards in 21st Century Ghana’ (Accepted for publication in a special edited volume of essays, Expected 2013)
• Asiedu Awo M (2013) ‘Efo Kodjo Mawugbe: One of Ghana’s Most Creative Playwrights’ Afterword in Helen Lauer, Nana Aba Appiah Amfo and Joanna Boampong (eds) The One in the Many: Nation Building Through Cultural Diversity. Accra: Sub-Saharan. Pp 250-255.
• Asiedu, Awo M, Adomako Ampofo A, (2012). ‘Towards Alternative Representations of Women in African Cultural Products’, in Anne V. Adams (ed.) Essays in Honour of Ama Ata Aidoo at 70: A Reader in African Cultural Studies, Ayebia: Banbury, pp. 219-230.
• Asiedu, Awo M, (2011) ‘Abibigoro: The Theatre of Mohamed Ben Abdallah’. In Igweonu, K. (ed.) Trends in Twenty-First Century African Theatre and Performance. Rodopi: Amsterdam, pp.367-384.
• Asiedu, Awo M, (2007) ‘Slavery and Folklore in the Plays of Ama Ata Aidoo’ In Michael Walling (ed.) Theatre and Slavery, London: Border Crossing, pp. 99-118

Encyclopaedia Entries

• Asiedu, Awo M ( 2007) ‘Abdallah, Mohammed Ben ’ In The Columbia Encyclopaedia of Modern Drama pp.1-2
• Asiedu, Awo M ( 2007) ‘Ama Ata Aidoo’. In The Columbia Encyclopaedia of Modern Drama Vol.1 pp. 28
• Asiedu, Awo M ( 2007) ‘Efua Theodora Sutherland’ In The Columbia Encyclopaedia of Modern Drama Vol.2 pp. 1309-1310;

Book/Performance Reviews

• Asiedu, Awo M (2006) ‘Review of Ama Ata Aidoo’s The Girl Who Can and Other Stories’. In Ernest N. Emenyonu, (ed), New Directions in African Literature, Oxford: James Currey and Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press, pp147-149.
• Asiedu, Awo M (2001) ‘Femi Osofisan’s Once Upon Four Robbers, A Review’. In African Theatre: Playwrights and Politics. London: James Currey pp. 57-61.

Interview
Asiedu, Awo M (2001) “Interview of Mohammed Ben-Abdallah’. In African Theatre: Playwrights and Politics. London: James Currey, pp. 95-106.

Forthcoming Publications

• The Performing Arts in Africa: Ghanaian Perspectives (Co-edited Reader, in progress)
• Contemporary Ghanaian Plays and Playwrights (Book in progress)
• ‘Roverman Productions at the National Theatre of Ghana: A New Paradigm of Ghanaian Popular Theatre’ (Research paper in progress).
• ‘Metamorphoses of a Trickster: Kweku Ananse in Modern African Theatre’ (Paper accepted for publication in a special volume of the Research Review)

CONFERENCES, PAPERS/REPORTS AND SEMINARS

• Asiedu Awo Mana ‘A Historical Overview of Theatre in Ghana’ An invited paper presentation at the Global Music (GLOMUS) Camp, Tumaini University, Makumira, Tanzania, January 10-19, 2013.
• 50th Anniversary International Conference of the School of Performing Arts on the theme ‘Creative Arts Pedagogy in the Context of Development Challenges’ 19-20 October, 2012. (Was the main organiser and delivered Welcome Address on the Theme).
• Asiedu Awo Mana ‘Roverman Productions at the National Theatre of Ghana: A New Paradigm of Ghanaian Popular Theatre’ Paper presented at the Annual International Federation of Theatre Research Conference in Santiago Chile, 22-27 July 2012. (A revised version of this paper was presented at the 11th Faculty of Arts Colloquium at the University of Ghana in April 2013).
• The American Council of Learned Society’s African Humanities Programme Fellowships. Launch of 2012/2013 Fellowships. University of Ghana, Legon. June 20-22nd June, 2012 (Organised the meetings)
• 10th Faculty of Arts Colloquium, University of Ghana, Legon April, 2012 (Attended and Chaired a session)
• Asiedu Awo Mana ‘A Brief Overview of Theatre Education in Ghana’ an address at a One-Day workshop on ‘Theatre in Schools’, organised by the School of Performing Arts in collaboration with the Federal Association of Drama & Theatre, BAG (Germany) and Theatre for a Change, Ghana. J.H.K Nketiah Hall, University of Ghana, October 27th 2011.
• Asiedu Awo Mana ‘Metamorphoses of a Trickster: Kweku Ananse in Modern African Theatre’ Paper presented at the Annual International Federation of Theatre research Conference in Osaka, Japan, August 7- 12th 2011. (Another version of this paper was presented at a Department of Theatre Arts Seminar in September 2011).
• Attended the African Theatre Association Conference in Wales, UK (Chaired a session) July 21-23rd 2011
• The American Council of Learned Society’s African Humanities Programme Fellowships. Launch of 2011/2012 Fellowships. University of Ghana, Legon. June 8th -9th June, 2011 (Organised the meetings)
• Workshop on academic writing and publishing, organised by the African Theatre and Performance Working Group of the International Federation of Theatre Research. University of Ilorin, April 2011. (Attended as Resource Person)
• Asiedu Awo Mana ‘Explorations of Post Colonial Leadership in Africa: Femi Osofisan’s Nkrumah Ni Africa Ni’. Paper presented at a Conference at the Pinter Centre for Performance and Creative Writing, Goldsmith’s College University of London, London. November 11- 13, 2010.
• Asiedu Awo Mana ‘Modernisation or Westernisation?: Kobina Sekyi’s The Blinkards and the Discourse on the Modernisation of Africa’. Paper presented at the 53nd Annual Conference of the International Federation of Theatre Research (16th World Congress) Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany. July 25 -31, 2010
• The American Council of Learned Society’s African Humanities Programme Fellowships. Launch of 2010/2011 Fellowships. University of Ghana, Legon. July7th -9th 2010 (Organised the meetings)
• Asiedu Awo Mana ‘Coated Pills for an Ailing Nation: The Satirical Comedies of James Ebo Whyte’. Paper presented at 8th Faculty of Arts Colloquium, University of Ghana, Legon April 14-15, 2010
• Asiedu Awo Mana ‘Abibigoro: Mohamed Ben Abdullah’s search for an African Aesthetic in the Theatre’. A paper presented at the 52nd Annual Conference of the International Federation of Theatre Research. University of Lisbon, Portugal, July 13-18th, 2009
• Adomako Ampofo A., Awo Mana Asiedu, ‘Changing Representations of Women in Ghanaian Popular Music: Three Female Musicians’. A Paper presented at the Pathways of Women’s Empowerment Research Programme Consortium’s mid-term review conference in Cairo, Egypt. 18-25 January, 2009
• Asiedu, Awo M. ,‘ Masculine Women Feminist Men: Assertions and Contradictions in Mawugbe’s ‘In the Chest of a woman’ Paper presented at a Conference on African and Afro-Caribbean Performance at UC Berkley, California, 25-27th September 2008
• Asiedu, Awo M. ‘Abibigoro: The Theatre of Mohamed ben-Abdallah’ Paper presented at the 51st annual Conference the International Federation of Theatre Research. University of South Korea, July 14-19th 2008
• Asiedu, Awo M. ‘Audience Performance Interactions: Cross Cultural Currents in Asian and West African Theatre.’ Paper presented at the 51st annual Conference the International Federation of Theatre Research. University of South Korea, July 14-19th 2008
• Asiedu, Awo M, Sarah Dorbgadzi and Ekua Ekumah, ‘Language and Body in Performance: A Study of Student Performers at the University of Ghana’. Paper presented at the Femi Osofisan International Conference in Ibadan, Nigeria, June 17-21, 2008.
• Adomako Ampofo A. and Asiedu, Awo M. ,‘Representations of Women in Popular Culture’ Paper presented at the Changing Narratives of Sexuality Theme meeting of the Pathways to Women’s Empowerment Research Project. IDS University of Sussex, Brighton, UK. April 7-9, 2008
• Asiedu, Awo M. ,‘Mapping Regional Trends of Contemporary African Theatre: A Research Proposal’. A proposal presented at the 2nd Meeting of the African Theatre and Performance Working Group of the International Federation of Theatre Research. School of Research and Graduate Studies, University of Ghana, Legon. March 28-29, 2008. (Organised and hosted the meeting).
• Asiedu, Awo M. ,‘Theatre and Performance, An Important Component of Ghana’s 50th Anniversary Celebrations of Independence’. Paper presented at the 50th Annual Conference of the International Federation of Theatre Research. University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. 10-14 July 2007
• Asiedu, Awo M., ‘Snapshots of Ghana @50 Through the Lenses of Mawugbe’s APTS (Acquired Prison Traumatic Syndrome’. Paper presented at a special New York University in Ghana Conference as part of the Ghana @50 celebrations. School of Research and Graduate Studies, University of Ghana June 11-13, 2007
• Asiedu, Awo M. and Hassan, Grace U., ‘A Stab in the Dark and Ripples: Ghanaian Videos in Search of an Enduring Aesthetic’. A joint paper presented at the ASAUK Biennial Conference, SOAS, London, September 11-16 2006.
• Asiedu, Awo M., ‘Anansegoro and Abibigoro: Towards Theorising African Theatre’ A paper presented at the 32nd Annual African Literature Association Conference, La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, Accra May 17-21, 2006.
• Asiedu, Awo M., ‘Researching Ghanaian Theatre: Reflections on the Process’. Paper presented at a one day international conference on ‘Researching Ghanaian Theatre’ at the JHK Nketia Conference Room, University of Ghana, Legon, August 2005.
• Asiedu, Awo M., ‘Any Good Play Should Reach Any Audience’. A paper presented at the 2nd Annual Faculty of Arts Colloquium, JHK Nketia Conference Room,University of Ghana, Legon, May 2004.
• Asiedu, Awo M., ‘Returning to the ‘Motherland’, Illusions and Realities: Eulalie Rush in Aidoo’s The Dilemma of a Ghost and Mimi and Uli in Onwueme’s Legacies’. A paper presented at an International Conference on “Literary Manifestations of the African Diaspora”, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana. November 2003.
• Asiedu, Awo M., ‘The cultural Context of Audience-Performance Interactions’. Seminar presented in the Department of Theatre Arts Seminar Series, University of Ghana, Legon, October 2003.
• Asiedu, Awo M., ‘The Nature of Performance and Audience Performance Interactions: A Comparison of British and West African Theatre Audiences’ Graduate Seminar presented at the University of Birmingham, March 2002.
• Asiedu, Awo M., ‘Ghanaian Audiences’. A paper presented at the Biennial Conference of the African Studies Association of the UK (ASAUK), Cambridge, UK. September 2000.
• “Asiedu, Awo M and Ahlijah Selasie, “Report on the First Phase of the Drama Component of the Information, Education and Communication Strategy”. Unpublished report presented to Community School Alliance, Accra,
• Agyepong Irene and Asiedu Awo M. ,. ‘Integrating health Education into Malaria Control at District Level’ Report presented to the Ministry of Health, Ghana (Dangme West District)
• International Conference on “In-Yer-Face? British Theatre in the 1990s”, University of the West of English, Bristol, 6-7 September 2002. (Attended conference but did not present a paper)
• African Studies Association of the UK (ASAUK) Biennial Conference, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, September 2002. (Attended conference but did not present a paper)

SPECIAL LECTURES
• ‘Making Use of the Stage: The Role of Audiences in the Production of Efficacious Theatre’ Interfaculty Lecture delivered at the KA Busia Hall, University of Ghana, Legon. February 4, 2007.
• ‘An Overview of Theatre in Ghana’, lecture given to visiting students from the James Madison University, USA. June, 2006., June 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
• ‘The Performing Arts and National Development’, lecture given to students of the School of Performing Arts during their annual ASPA week celebrations, March 2004.
• ‘Issues in African Literature’, Orientation lecture for visiting American students, 1997-1999, 2004 - 2009
• ‘Ghanaian Popular Culture’, lecture given to students at the Centre for West African Studies, (CWAS) University of Birmingham, January 2002.

MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

• African Theatre Association (Since 2008)
•  International Federation of Theatre Research (Since 2007)
• African Studies Association of the UK and the Royal African Society, UK, (September, 2000-2008)
• African Literature Association, USA (Since 2006) April 2013.