Technology in Craft-Building: The Experience of 2024 UNIUYO Model Theatre Fashion Crafts Session

Abstract

This study examines the concept of technology in craft-building, as a critical framework for enhancing creativity, self-reliance and sustainability within theatre praxis. It situates craft-building at the intersection of manual skill, art and technology, arguing that the integration of contemporary technological techniques with indigenous knowledge systems fosters innovative approaches to the production of costumes, theatrical props as well as general visual design elements. Drawing on both practical experimentation and theoretical discourse, the paper explores how technologically based skills in craft-building can empower theatre practitioners to produce essential performance materials with the use of locally sourced resources. The study further interrogates the evolving role of craft within the knowledge-driven and digital age, highlighting continued relevance despite increasing dominance of industrial and mechanized production systems. Adopting a practice-based methodology, including demonstrations conducted during the 2024 University of Uyo (UNIUYO) Model Theatre Fashion Crafts Session, the research documents the processes involved in creation of selected craft items such as fascinators, traditional costume accessories and bridal hand fans. These case studies illustrate the application of creativity, technical skills as well as resourcefulness in achieving aesthetic and functional outcomes appropriate for theatrical productions. Findings of the study reveal that while theatre practitioners array willingness to engage in independent production, there still exist significant gap in training, skill acquisition and technical knowledge. The paper underscores the fundamentals of structured pedagogical interventions, which include hands-on training, workshops to develop competencies in the technology of craft-building. The paper submits that the integration of technology in craft-building does not only enhance the authenticity and visual quality of theatrical productions, but they also contribute towards preservation of indigenous crafts, reducing production costs, and supporting the advancement of a more self-sustaining theatre practice in Nigeria.