{{Use Nigerian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox musical|name=Ada the Country|book=Titilope Sonuga|premiere_location=MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos|premiere_date=2 January 2020|productions=2020 Lagos 2022 Lagos 2022 Abuja}}
'''''Ada the Country''''' is a 2020 Nigerian musical written by Titilope Sonuga and produced by Marian Ogaziechi under the theatrical studio of Doyenne Circle Productions.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=2022-04-25 |title=Ada the Country Unravelling The Plight Of Average Nigerian Women |url=https://editor.guardian.ng/life/ada-the-country-unravelling-the-plight-of-average-nigerian-women/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2022-08-06 |newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-US |archive-date=2022-08-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816052546/https://editor.guardian.ng/life/ada-the-country-unravelling-the-plight-of-average-nigerian-women/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=2022-04-08 |title=Silva, Ozokwor, others celebrate Nigerian women in ‘Ada the Country’ |url=https://punchng.com/silva-ozokwor-others-celebrate-nigerian-women-in-ada-the-country/ |access-date=2022-08-06 |newspaper=The Punch|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2022-05-07 |title=Ada the country: Kate Henshaw, Patience Ozokwor, Joke Sylva showcase the struggles of Nigerian women |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/05/ada-the-country-kate-henshaw-patience-ozokwor-joke-sylva-showcase-the-struggles-of-nigerian-women/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2022-08-06 |newspaper=Vanguard|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2022-04-24 |title=Ada The Country: The story of Nigerian urban woman |url=https://dailypost.ng/2022/04/24/ada-the-country-the-story-of-nigerian-urban-woman/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2022-08-06 |newspaper=Daily Post|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Rapheal |date=2022-04-23 |title=Women power echoes in Ada The Country |url=https://www.sunnewsonline.com/women-power-echoes-in-ada-the-country/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2022-08-06 |newspaper=The Sun|language=en-us}}</ref> The play stars Nollywood actresses Patience Ozokwor, Joke Silva and Bikiya Graham Douglas.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite news |date=2022-04-01 |title=Nigerian musical 'Ada the Country' returns to stage |url=https://editor.guardian.ng/art/nigerian-musical-ada-the-country-returns-to-stage/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2022-08-06 |newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-US |archive-date=2022-08-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220806215954/https://editor.guardian.ng/art/nigerian-musical-ada-the-country-returns-to-stage/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Ada the Country Musical Through the Gender Lens|url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/04/24/ada-our-country-musical-through-the-gender-lens/amp/ |access-date=2022-08-06 |newspaper=This Day|archive-date=2022-08-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220806215954/https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/04/24/ada-our-country-musical-through-the-gender-lens/amp/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== Development == Although in the works for about ten years, the show was written in 2019.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |title=Ada the Country Musical Through the Gender Lens|url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/04/24/ada-our-country-musical-through-the-gender-lens/ |access-date=2023-02-07 |newspaper=This Day}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Medeme |first=Ovwe |date=13 October 2022 |title=Joke Silva, Kate Henshaw, Chigul for stage play, ‘Ada the Country’ |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/559348-joke-silva-kate-henshaw-chigul-for-stage-play-ada-the-country.html?tztc=1 |access-date=2023-02-07 |newspaper=Premium Times}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last= |date=2019-11-14 |title=Doyenne Circle teams up with Lala Akindoju and Titilope Sonuga to create ‘Ada The Country’ |url=https://www.bellanaija.com/2019/11/ada-country-stage-play/ |access-date=2023-02-07 |website=BellaNaija |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Synopsis == Ada, a young woman, is involved in a fire accident which destroys her property and kills her 9 month old daughter, Chiamaka.<ref name=":8">{{Cite news |last=Ebirim |first=Juliet |date=17 October 2022 |title=Doyenne Circle takes ‘Ada The Country’ to Abuja |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/10/doyenne-circle-takes-ada-the-country-to-abuja/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=7 February 2023|newspaper=Vanguard}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{Cite news |last=Adeniyi |first=Taiwo |date=2022-10-29 |title=Ada the Country: Different characters, same goal |url=https://dailytrust.com/ada-the-country-different-characters-same-goal/ |access-date=2023-02-07 |newspaper=Daily Trust|language=en-GB}}</ref> At the time, her husband Femi was away from home, only returning when the fire has ravaged their home.<ref name=":9" /> In the aftermath of the incident Ada becomes depressed.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> She leaves her husband to return to her parents' home, where family members accuse her of being insensitive and inhumane for leaving Femi.<ref name=":9" /> She speaks to the other women in her family, including her divorced sister, a single mother, and a working class woman struggling with sexism at work. Through sharing their experience of living as women in Nigeria, Ada is able to find some healing and reconcile with her husband.<ref name=":5" />
== Productions == The show debuted in January 2020.<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":10">{{Cite news |date=2020-02-02 |title=In Ada The Country, plight of women takes centre stage |url=https://m.guardian.ng/art/in-ada-the-country-plight-of-women-takes-centre-stage/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2023-02-07 |newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-US}}</ref>
The show was performed at MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos from April 15 to 18, 2022.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4" /> The show was directed by Kemi Lala-Akindoju.<ref name=":6" />
In October 2022 Doyenne Circle brought the show to Abuja, where it was performed at the Musa Yaradua Centre on 21 and 22 October.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":8" /> This staging was directed by Kenneth Uphopho.<ref name=":6" />
== Cast == {| class="wikitable" |+ ! !2020 Doyenne Circle<ref name=":7" /><ref name=":10" /><ref>{{Cite news |title=Review: In ‘Ada The Country’, Grief Is a Journey|url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/01/10/review-in-ada-the-country-grief-is-a-journey/ |access-date=2023-02-07 |newspaper=This Day}}</ref> !2022 Doyenne Circle<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":9" /> |- |Ada | colspan="2" |Kate Henshaw |- |Ada's mother | colspan="2" |Patience Ozokwor |- |Femi's mother | colspan="2" |Joke Silva |- | | |Bikiya Graham Douglas |- |Nkem | colspan="2" |Chioma 'Chigul' Omeruah |- |Ifeoma | colspan="2" |Oluchi Odii |- |Kemi |Lala Akindoju |Tosin Adeyemi |- | | |Imoh Eboh |- |Femi |Ayo Ayoola | |- |Alero |Bimbo Akintola | |- |Funmi |Ade Laoye | |- |Lola |Oludara Egerton-Shygnle | |}
== References == <references /> Category:2020 musicals
{{Nigeria-stub}} Category:Original musicals Category:Nigerian musicals Category:Musicals set in Nigeria Category:Musicals set in the 21st century