Nairobi’s International Theatre Festival Opens 4 November

KENYA · NAIROBI THEATRE FESTIVAL

Kenya’s international theatre festival returns to Nairobi for a 12-day run in November. Tickets for 54 listed performances are on sale now.

The Kenya International Theatre Festival, known as KITFest, opens its 11th edition in Nairobi on Wednesday, 4 November 2026. Ticketed shows run at the Kenya National Theatre until Sunday, 15 November.

For US visitors, single tickets start at about US$4 for students, and 7:00 p.m. shows begin at 11:00 a.m. US Eastern time. Americans need an Electronic Travel Authorisation, and Kenya’s government ties a travel health insurance policy to it.

What KITFest Is and Why It Matters

KITFest is run by the Kenya International Theatre Festival Trust, a non-profit that promotes theatre in Kenya and across Africa. Its co-host is the Kenya Cultural Centre, the state agency that runs the Kenya National Theatre.

The festival’s website calls the centre the country’s oldest state cultural institution. This year’s theme, Reimagining Theatre, opens what the organisers call a new decade for the festival.

The organisers count more than 200 Kenyan artists and 184 international artists in the 2026 edition. The box office lists 54 performances of 41 productions, from Kenya and 16 other countries.

The Nairobi paper Business Daily reported that the tenth edition, in November 2025, featured more than 50 performances from 22 countries. It said an open call drew far more applications than the festival could host.

The 2026 edition is dedicated to the late Sungu Dudi, known as Terano, named as its official festival face. The organisers credit him with redefining the festival’s brand, creative identity and stage presence.

For Nairobi, the festival is also a trade fair for theatre. The KITFest African Theatre Market runs from Friday, 6 November, to Sunday, 8 November, for festival directors scouting touring work.

The 2026 Programme Day by Day

The programme mixes Kenyan productions with touring work from Latin America, Europe, Asia and across Africa. All times below are Nairobi time, as published by the official box office.

• Wednesday, 4 November: The Masks from South Africa at 5:00 p.m., Octopus Garden from Venezuela at 6:00 p.m. and Polish Heritage in Motion at 7:00 p.m.
• Thursday, 5 November: Palunko’s Wife, a non-verbal physical comedy from Croatia, at 4:00 p.m., and After Silence from Brazil at 7:00 p.m.
• Friday, 6 November: an Argentine take on Romeo and Juliet at 7:00 p.m. in the Main Auditorium.
• Saturday, 7 November: Lion King Jr. Musical, a Kenyan production, at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., plus Guerrier from Canada at 5:00 p.m.
• Monday, 9 November: Sakuntala, A Love Lore, from India at 7:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, 11 November: Pyjamas for Five from Ghana at 5:00 p.m. and Batsumi, A Dirge for the Left Behind, from South Africa at 7:00 p.m.
• Thursday, 12 November: Cafe Jallal Project from Israel at 7:00 p.m.
• Friday, 13 November: La Mona Simona from Spain at 5:00 p.m. and the US production at 7:00 p.m.
• Sunday, 15 November: two Kenyan works, Echos from the Lake at 2:00 p.m. and No Laughing Matter at 7:00 p.m., close the run.

Several events are free, including Poetry After Lunch on the outdoor stage on 5 and 12 November. A free show from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mushikishiki Vibes, plays the same stage on 11 November.

The US Production on 13 November

The only production listed from the United States is Changing the World One Poem at a Time. It plays the Main Auditorium on Friday, 13 November, at 7:00 p.m., which is 11:00 a.m. in New York.

The box office describes a multidisciplinary show that fuses dramatic storytelling, live music and original poetry. In it, Josephus moves through scenes built on live instruments, movement and call-and-response moments with the audience.

A facilitator listed as Josephus III, from the US, also appears among the festival’s workshop leaders. Another masterclass, The Director at Work, is led by Jerry Mofokeng Makhetha, who studied theatre directing at Columbia University in New York.

That directing session is listed for Friday, 6 November, and other workshops cover playback theatre and Indian Kutiyattam training. Check each workshop listing on the festival website for times and who may attend.

Tickets, Passes and Prices

The organisers name TheatreKE as the official box office for both single tickets and festival passes. Prices are converted at KES 129.73 per US$1, the open.er-api.com rate of 15 October 2026.

• Single show, student ticket: KES 500 (about US$4)
• Single show, early bird: KES 1,000 (about US$8)
• Single show, advance: KES 1,200 (about US$9)
• Single show, couple: KES 1,800 (about US$14)
• Day Pass, all paid shows on one day: KES 2,000 (about US$15)
• Curated 5-Show Pass: KES 4,800 (about US$37)
• Week Pass, all paid shows in week one or week two: KES 7,000 (about US$54)
• Season Pass, every paid show from 4 to 15 November: KES 13,000 (about US$100)

These tiers apply to the US show and most listings, but Story Za Thuita charges non-residents KES 2,500 (about US$19). Penalty sells advance seats at KES 1,500 (about US$12), so check each listing before you pay.

The Season Pass adds VIP opening and closing receptions and a complimentary festival programme. Every pass also includes entry to the festival’s Night Experience events, whose line-up has not been published.

Buy only through TheatreKE or the ticket links on the festival’s own website. Tickets offered by resellers on social media may not be valid at the door.

The Venue and How to Get There

The Kenya National Theatre sits on Harry Thuku Road in central Nairobi, the address of the Kenya Cultural Centre. Festival shows use four spaces there: the Main Auditorium, Ukumbi Mdogo, Cheche and an outdoor stage.

The State Department says ride-share apps such as Uber and Bolt are common in Kenyan cities. It advises against hailing taxis on the street and points visitors to hotel-booked services or airport kiosks.

It calls matatus, the private minibuses, and boda bodas, the motorcycle taxis, risky and bars US government staff from them. For a 7:00 p.m. show, plan your ride home before the curtain rises.

Evening traffic in Nairobi can be heavy, especially when it rains. Leave extra time if you are coming from the suburbs or straight from the airport.

Tips for US and Foreign Visitors

US citizens need an Electronic Travel Authorisation, applied for online at etakenya.go.ke before departure. The official portal says fees start at US$30, with standard processing taking up to 72 hours.

An expedited option costs an extra US$100 and is processed immediately, the portal adds. The government’s eCitizen insurance site says Kenyan travel health insurance is tied to the ETA for non-African travellers.

The State Department says passports must be valid for six months beyond arrival, with two blank pages. Travellers arriving from a yellow fever country must also show proof of vaccination.

The department rates Kenya at Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, in an advisory issued on 28 July 2026. It cites crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest, health and other risks, and says not to travel to Eastleigh and Kibera.

Kenyan hospitals generally do not accept US health insurance, Medicare does not pay abroad, and payment is usually due upfront. The department strongly recommends supplemental insurance that covers medical evacuation.

Kenya confirmed an imported Ebola case in Nairobi in early October, and The Standard reported no curbs on public gatherings. The CDC listed no Ebola travel notice for Kenya on 15 October; recheck it and the latest Rio Times report before flying.

Kenya keeps East Africa Time all year, three hours ahead of GMT. Once US clocks fall back on Sunday, 1 November, Nairobi is eight hours ahead of New York.

Early November usually falls in Nairobi’s short rainy season, so pack a light rain jacket for the outdoor stage. Evenings in the highland capital can also feel cool.

What It Means for You

For a US visitor already in Kenya for a safari, KITFest offers an evening of world theatre for about US$9. A Season Pass at about US$100 covers every paid show over 12 days.

Expats in Nairobi can use a Day Pass at about US$15 to see several shows on one weekend day. Daytime options include Lion King Jr. Musical at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, 7 November.

What Is Not Known

The tickets page gives the dates as 4 to 15 November, but the festival’s theatre market page says 3 to 15 November. No public performance on Tuesday, 3 November, appears on the box office.

The Night Experience line-up and the full workshop schedule have not been published in detail. Seat availability per show is not public, and the organisers have not said whether any show will be streamed.

What Comes Next

The first ticketed show, The Masks from South Africa, starts at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, 4 November. The festival closes on Sunday, 15 November, with No Laughing Matter at 7:00 p.m.

Programme changes would appear first on TheatreKE and the festival’s own channels. Ticket holders should check their booking email in the days before each show.

Connected Coverage

The Rio Times Nairobi city guide covers neighbourhoods, transport and costs for visitors and new residents. For more events in the city, see What to Do in Nairobi in October 2026.

Before you fly, read about Kenya’s travel insurance rule for US visitors and the Kenya Security and Crime Explained 2026 pillar. For the wider arts scene, see Kenya Culture, the Key Figures to Know in 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where is the Kenya International Theatre Festival in 2026?

Ticketed shows run from Wednesday, 4 November, to Sunday, 15 November 2026, at the Kenya National Theatre in Nairobi. It is the 11th edition of the festival, under the theme Reimagining Theatre.

How much do KITFest tickets cost?

Most single shows on TheatreKE cost KES 500 to KES 1,800 (about US$4 to US$14), and a few cost more. Festival passes cost KES 2,000 to KES 13,000 (about US$15 to US$100).

Is there a US production at KITFest 2026?

Yes, the box office lists Changing the World One Poem at a Time from the United States, on Friday, 13 November. It plays the Main Auditorium at 7:00 p.m. and blends storytelling, live music and original poetry.

Sources: KITFest 2026, official festival site; KITFest 2026 passes and tickets; KITFest African Theatre Market 2026; KITFest host organisations; TheatreKE, official box office programme; TheatreKE, Changing the World One Poem at a Time; Kenya Cultural Centre; Business Daily (13 November 2025); Kenya eTA portal, FAQs; eCitizen, Inbound Travel Health Insurance; US State Department, Kenya country information; The Standard, Ebola contacts in quarantine; CDC travel notices; open.er-api.com, exchange rates (all accessed 15 October 2026).

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