Dr. Tess Onwueme may be one of the most unsung literary lights in the Chippewa Valley – at least to those of us in the Chippewa Valley. Around the world, however, Onwueme is renown as one of the most prolific and respected female playwrights of African descent. The Nigerian-born Onwueme has written and produced 23 plays, many of them addressing critical issues such as gender inequality, imbalances of power, and diversity. She’s been a UW-Eau Claire faculty member since 1994, and in 2010 became the university’s first Professor of Global Letters. On Saturday, Oct. 18, Chippewa Valley residents will have the rare opportunity to see one of Onwueme’s most noted works on stage. An international cast – with performers from as far away as Nigeria and Ghana and as close as UWEC’s own campus – will give a free, public performance of The Reign of Wazobia. According to a UWEC press release, “The play tells the story of Wazobia, a female character who rebels against the traditional customs of her people and speaks out against the degrading position of women, the masses, and underclass in society.” While the play was published in 1988, Onwueme notes, “Today we are still facing oppression in the form of women trafficking, domestic violence, environmental pollution and class inequality, to name a few. These issues touch all societies. The Reign of Wazobia is a call for people to come together on a global level to understand and appreciate challenges and work together to resolve them.” The production is being staged to celebrate Onwueme’s donation of 30 years worth of her papers to the UWEC Foundation. The playwright will be honored at 3:30pm, just prior to the start of the play, and a reception will follow at 5:30pm.

The Reign of Wazobia • Sat., Oct. 18, 3:30pm • Schofield Auditorium, Schofield Hall, UWEC • FREE • http://tinyurl.com/mhdu2oe