The stbiblicalory of Mary came alive on the stage of Eko Hotels & Suites, as Theatre @ Eko presented Mary, a new musical that blended drama, music, dance and striking stage effects to retell one of Christianity’s most enduring stories through a contemporary theatrical lens.

The production, created and directed by Ice Nweke and produced and co-directed by Dr IyadunniGbadebo, followed Mary’s journey from her life as a young woman devoted to God, through her betrothal to Joseph, the divine announcement that she would conceive Jesus by the Holy Spirit, and the fulfilment of her calling.

Beyond recounting the familiar biblical narrative, the musical explored themes of faith, obedience, purpose and the courage to embrace divine destiny.

Performed before an enthusiastic audience, the production featured vibrant choreography, live musical performances and elaborate costumes that recreated biblical settings while keeping audiences engaged through an emotionally driven interpretation of the well-known story.

Speaking after the performance, Nweke reflected on Theatre @ Eko’s journey, describing the platform as one that has transformed lives and nurtured young creative talents over the years.

Recalling his early years with the initiative, he recounted meeting an 11-year-old boy during auditions for Tropical Christmas Wonderland, noting that the youngster later became responsible for much of the soundtrack used during the performance.

According to him, Eko Hotels deliberately chose to invest in family-oriented productions that create opportunities for children and young creatives, many of whom have gone on to build successful careers both within and outside Nigeria.

He paid tribute to Gbadebo, describing her as the visionary behind Theatre @ Eko and “the thread that holds everything together,” while applauding the cast and crew for bringing the production to life.

Gbadebo said the continued success of Theatre @ Eko has been made possible through partnerships with organisations that believe in the growth of Africa’s creative industry, singling out FirstBank for supporting the initiative.

She described the bank as a partner that looks beyond conventional business to invest in talent capable of projecting African stories to global audiences.

“This is a very expensive production, and Eko Hotel could not have done it alone. We need partners who understand the broader vision for Africa,” she said.