Tesfaye Gessesse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tesfaye Gessesse
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| ተስፋዬ ገሰሰ | |
Tesfaye Gessesse in April 2006
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| Born | 27 September 1937 Somalia Governorate, Italian East Africa (now Somali Region, Ethiopia)
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| Died | 16 December 2020 (aged 83) Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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| Alma mater | Haile Selassie I University |
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| Years active | 1950s–2020 |
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Tesfaye Gessesse (Amharic: ተስፋዬ ገሰሰ; born September 27, 1937 – died December 16, 2020) was a very important actor and director from Ethiopia. He worked in theatre and film for over 40 years. Tesfaye is known as one of the most significant figures in modern Ethiopian theatre. He wrote and directed many plays that helped shape Ethiopian culture.
Contents
Early Life and Theatre Start
Tesfaye Gessesse was born on September 27, 1937. His birthplace was Guro Gutu in the Hararghe region of eastern Ethiopia. He began his journey in theatre in the 1950s. At that time, he was a young university student.
His talent was quickly noticed. He received a special scholarship to study theatre. This scholarship took him to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, in the United States. He studied there in the late 1950s.
Changing Ethiopian Theatre
When Tesfaye returned to Ethiopia, he joined a small group of people who wanted to change theatre. In the 1960s, theatre was mostly used to promote the ideas of the royal family. Tesfaye and his group wanted to use theatre differently. They wanted it to explore real-life problems and social issues in Ethiopia.
In 1960, he started working with the Haile Selassie I Theatre. This theatre was first created by Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia for his own enjoyment. However, its focus was changing. The new director, Tsegaye Gebre-Medhin, wanted the theatre to show everyday concerns. Tesfaye became well-known as a director.
One of his early works was a play called Yeshi. This play showed how city life could be difficult. It talked about problems like corruption.
Leadership and Challenges
Tesfaye Gessesse became the General Director of the Hager Fikir Theatre in 1974. This was a big role in Ethiopian theatre.
In 1975, a new government called the Derg came to power. Tesfaye wrote a play called "Iqaw." This play was seen as critical of the government's harsh actions. Because of this, he was suspended from his job and sent to prison.
In 1976, Tsegaye Gebre-Medhin, who was the Director of the National Theatre, was removed from his position. This happened after theatre workers protested. Tesfaye Gessesse was then named the new Director of the National Theatre.
His work continued to be challenging. He directed a play called Tsere Kolonialist. He also wrote his own play, Tehaddiso (which means Renaissance). These plays did not always follow the government's preferred style of theatre. As the Derg government became stricter, they became less tolerant of these differences. Tesfaye was fired from his job in 1979.
However, Tesfaye's fame helped him. He was one of the few playwrights who could still create plays with sensitive political messages in the 1980s. His plays Cherchez Les Femmes' (1980) and Ferdu Leinante (The Judgement is for you, 1984) explored how fear could be used to control people. They did this without directly criticizing the government.
Later Life and Legacy
Tesfaye Gessesse passed away on December 16, 2020. He was 83 years old. He died from complications related to COVID-19.
Tesfaye Gessesse left a lasting mark on Ethiopian theatre. He is remembered as a brave artist who used his work to explore important social and political ideas.
Images for kids
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Tesfaye Gessesse in April 2006
