The Eden Drama Festival Showcases culminated with the final leg of the adjudication at the Hornlee Civic Centre on Saturday 13 August 2016. The event was hosted by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) in partnership with the Knysna Municipality, the Baxter Theatre and the Zabalaza Festival.
The participating drama groups had written and directed a 20-minute play which they presented to an appreciative audience in a venue that was filled to capacity. The festival judges were: Thami Mbongo, artistic director of the Zabalaza Festival; Bongile Mantsai, public relations officer of the Zabalaza Festival; and Zoleka Helesi, also affiliated with the Zabalaza Festival.
The winners of the Eden Drama Festival will be given an opportunity to perform at the Baxter Theatre, the Artscape Theatre as well as the Absa KKNK. DCAS project manager Moeniel Jacobs commented that: “It is great to see the festival come back to where it all started six years ago. Now we can see the difference the programme has made in the lives of participants who presented their productions.”
Three groups from the final leg of the festival were selected to participate in the Eden District Drama Showcase Finale on 26 November 2016: Moonstone GT, Explosive Theatre Production and Ubumnandi Bethu, who was the overall winner of the Eden Festival in 2013. The adjudicators also selected two amazing young poets who had entertained the audience.
In addition to the Showcase Finale, the selected groups will attend a Production Development Workshop from 30 September to 2 October 2016 covering the areas of scriptwriting, character development, directing and technical aspects of the theatre.
DCAS and its partners aim to further develop the arts through festivals such as these and expose the young talent of the Western Cape to other opportunities, BETTER TOGETHER.
Tania Colyn
Head of Communication Service
Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport
Tel: 021 483 9877
E-mail: Tania.Colyn@westerncape.gov.za