CHILDREN’S THEATRE PARTICIPATION AND INCLUSION AT THE 2024 WORLD RECORD MARATHON THEATRE PERFORMANCE IN NIGERIA

Lessons and Prospects

An in-depth feature examining how one of Nigeria’s largest marathon theatre productions demonstrated the educational, cultural and social value of involving children in large-scale theatrical practice.
By Arts & Culture Correspondent

When the curtains rose on Nigeria’s ambitious 2024 Marathon Theatre Performance by a Team, audiences witnessed more than an extraordinary artistic endurance challenge. Behind months of rehearsals, hundreds of performers, technical crews, volunteers and supporters stood another remarkable story—one that received comparatively little public attention.
It was the story of children.
Amid the scale of the production, young performers occupied a significant place within the creative vision of the project. Their participation was not treated as ceremonial or symbolic. Instead, they were intentionally integrated into the artistic structure of the production through carefully developed performances that reflected discipline, teamwork and cultural expression.
For Oladele Titilope Jelilat, whose work has long centred on children’s dance and theatre, the production represented something far more profound than participation in a national record attempt.
“It became proof,” she reflects, “that children are capable of contributing meaningfully to productions of national significance when they are trusted, prepared and supported.”
The experience reinforced a conviction she has carried throughout her career—that children’s theatre should never be viewed as a simplified version of adult theatre. Rather, it is a distinct artistic discipline requiring specialised training, educational understanding and an appreciation of child development.
Building a Production That Included Children
Preparing a marathon theatre performance demands months of planning, coordination and sustained rehearsal. Every element—from choreography and stage movement to technical transitions and performer welfare—must be carefully considered. Introducing children into such an environment naturally requires even greater attention.
Young performers have different physical, emotional and educational needs. Rehearsal schedules must be adapted, safeguarding considerations become paramount, and creative methods must balance artistic excellence with age-appropriate participation. Within this context, Oladele was entrusted with developing and supervising much of the children’s performance content.
Drawing on years of experience in community dance and children’s theatre, she worked to ensure that participation was meaningful. “We wanted children to understand why they were performing,” she explains. “Every movement, every dance, every scene carried a message.”
More Than Dance: Learning Through Participation
Throughout rehearsals, artistic preparation extended well beyond choreography. Children were encouraged to understand the stories behind performances, the cultural significance of traditional movement and the importance of collaboration within an ensemble. They learned rehearsal discipline. They learned punctuality. They learned concentration. They learned how individual responsibility contributes to collective success.
According to Oladele, these lessons often become as valuable as the performance itself. “The stage teaches accountability. Children quickly realise that if one person is absent or unprepared, everyone is affected. That understanding develops responsibility in ways that ordinary classroom experiences sometimes cannot.”
When the Stage Became a Classroom
Observers often describe theatre as entertainment. Educators increasingly describe it as experiential learning. For Oladele Titilope Jelilat, the distinction is important.
“Every rehearsal is a classroom,” she says. “The difference is that children learn by doing instead of simply listening.”
During preparations for the 2024 marathon theatre production, this philosophy shaped the way children were introduced to the creative process. Rather than limiting young participants to memorising dance routines or stage positions, rehearsals became opportunities to explore communication, teamwork, time management and personal responsibility. Children learned that arriving late affected an entire rehearsal schedule. They discovered that forgetting a costume or missing a rehearsal did not affect only one performer but the entire ensemble. They learned to encourage one another rather than compete against one another. These experiences, Oladele believes, are among the most enduring outcomes of theatre participation.
“When children understand that success belongs to everyone, they begin to think differently about leadership.”
Building Confidence One Rehearsal at a Time
Perhaps the most visible transformation witnessed during the production was confidence. Many children entered rehearsals quietly. Some avoided eye contact. Others spoke so softly that directors struggled to hear them. As rehearsals progressed, changes gradually became noticeable. Children volunteered ideas. They asked questions. They performed before larger audiences during practice sessions. They encouraged newer participants. Parents who attended rehearsals often remarked that the same children who hesitated to introduce themselves on the first day were confidently performing before hundreds of people weeks later.
While every child’s experience was unique, such observations reflect a pattern widely recognised by many theatre educators: sustained participation in performance can help young people develop communication skills and self-confidence. For Oladele, these changes remain among the most rewarding aspects of her work.
The Emotional Side of Children’s Theatre
Behind every polished performance lies an emotional journey. Children experience excitement, nervousness, disappointment and pride—often within the same rehearsal. One child may worry about forgetting choreography. Another may fear performing before an audience for the first time. Others struggle to balance school responsibilities with rehearsals. Understanding these emotions is, according to Oladele, one of the most important responsibilities of anyone working in children’s theatre.
“Children need encouragement before they need correction,” she says. “When they know they are valued, they become willing to learn.”
Parents as Creative Partners
Another lesson from the marathon theatre project was the importance of family involvement. Children rarely succeed in theatre alone. Parents organise transport. Families adjust schedules. Guardians encourage rehearsals after long school days. The production highlighted how creative development often becomes a partnership between practitioners and families. Oladele believes this partnership should receive greater recognition.
“Parents are the first producers,” she says. “They make children’s participation possible.”
Lessons for Schools
One of the most significant questions raised by the production concerns education. What would happen if more schools embraced theatre as an integral part of learning rather than an occasional extracurricular activity?
Drawing from her years of experience, Oladele believes schools could use theatre to strengthen language development, teamwork, cultural awareness, creativity and public speaking.
“Theatre doesn’t remove academic learning,” she says. “It supports it.” She points to her own childhood as an example. A young girl who initially struggled to find interest in formal education discovered purpose through the drama club, eventually becoming more committed to her studies because leadership demanded responsibility.
Looking Beyond Nigeria
As conversations around children’s participation in the performing arts continue to evolve globally, practitioners increasingly agree on one principle: children thrive when they are given meaningful opportunities to create, collaborate and perform in safe, well-supported environments.
Around the world, children’s theatre has become an important avenue for developing confidence, communication, creativity and cultural understanding. Large-scale youth theatre festivals, community arts initiatives and school-based performance programmes demonstrate how the performing arts can contribute to broader educational and social development.
For Oladele Titilope Jelilat, these international conversations reinforce a belief she has held since childhood. “Every child deserves an opportunity to discover what they are capable of,” she says. She believes Nigeria possesses the artistic talent, cultural richness and educational potential to become a leading centre for children’s theatre in Africa. What remains, she argues, is sustained investment, stronger partnerships and wider recognition of the value of creative education.
The Next Generation of Practitioners
During her years of directing children’s dance and theatre, Oladele has become increasingly interested in mentorship. She believes today’s young performers will become tomorrow’s choreographers, playwrights, directors, educators and cultural leaders. As a result, she encourages older participants to mentor younger ones, creating an environment where learning is shared across age groups.
This approach reflects her own journey. As a child, she benefited from opportunities to lead within her school drama club. Later, she created community dance groups where leadership responsibilities were shared among members. Today, she continues to view leadership development as an essential part of children’s theatre.
“The stage prepares children for life,” she says. “Leadership begins long before adulthood.”
A Vision for the Future
Looking ahead, Oladele’s ambitions extend beyond individual productions. She hopes to contribute to a national movement that strengthens children’s theatre through sustained programmes rather than isolated events. Among her aspirations are expanding access to children’s theatre workshops in schools and communities, supporting greater preservation of African dance traditions through youth performance, developing platforms where children can present original work inspired by their own experiences and cultures and promoting festivals and exchanges that celebrate African storytelling through theatre and dance.
Central to this vision is the proposed All African Children’s Theatre, Dance and Cultural Festival, an initiative she hopes will one day bring together young performers, educators and cultural practitioners from across the continent.
“The festival,” she says, “would not simply celebrate talent. It would celebrate the future of African culture.”
Editorial Perspective
The inclusion of children in the 2024 marathon theatre production highlighted an important dimension of contemporary Nigerian theatre: the growing recognition that young performers can play meaningful roles in ambitious artistic projects when appropriate structures, guidance and safeguarding are in place.
Practitioners such as Oladele Titilope Jelilat have contributed to this conversation by advocating for children’s theatre as an educational discipline as well as an artistic practice. Her work demonstrates a sustained interest in using dance and drama to promote confidence, cultural awareness, collaboration and leadership among young people.
While challenges remain—including access to resources, sustained funding and broader institutional support—the experiences drawn from initiatives such as the marathon theatre production suggest significant opportunities for further development. As Nigeria continues to strengthen its creative industries, children’s theatre may increasingly be recognised not as a peripheral activity but as an important investment in education, culture and future artistic leadership. For Oladele, the lesson is clear – “When we invest in children through theatre,” she says, “we are investing in the storytellers, educators and cultural custodians of tomorrow.”

By Emmanuel Kolawole