DCAS drama rookies share a stage with the Cape’s best at Zabalaza Festival

Some of the Western Cape’s brightest, young drama talent took to the stage at the Baxter Theatre’s Zabalaza Festival on Saturday 9 March 2019, after being discovered by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS).

The Zabalaza Festival, the Baxter Theatre’s annual emerging talent showcase, kicked off on Friday and will run until Saturday 16 March, with several performances taking place between 10:00 and 19:00 every day.

Saturday’s DCAS performances were the culmination of a drama programme which spanned several months and saw drama festivals hosted in the Cape Winelands and Eden district municipalities. 

The best groups from each of those festivals were invited to perform at Zabalaza. These same groups will also perform at the DCAS Grand Finale, which will take place at Suidoosterfees at the Artscape Theatre between 25 April and 1 May 2019.

“This year has been the most successful showcase with all productions being of a very high calibre,” said DCAS’s Moeniel Jacobs, the programme director. “I am very proud of all our participants and the amount of energy and skills they have put in to give us such great plays. The Grand Finale this year at Suidoosterfees will be outstanding.”

The Cape Winelands Drama Festival took place in Ceres in February, where Kwakhanya and African Calling were named Best Production and Best Production runners-up respectively to secure their spots at Zabalaza and the DCAS Grand Finale.

Fantasties Dramaties and Redefined 101 were declared respective winners and runners-up at the Eden Drama Festival in George. However, the standard of performances was so high that three other groups - Team Most Wanted, Take A BOW and Untitled Production – were also invited to perform at the Zabalaza Saturday showcase.

All of the performances from the DCAS groups were original productions, which were written and directed by the performers themselves.

One of these groups will ultimately win the Best of DCAS programme at the Finale on 26 April, and be included on the 2020 Suidoosterfees programme. 

DCAS and its partners aim to develop the arts by offering young talent valuable opportunities, BETTER TOGETHER