Overberg District Starts Drama Festival Finales With Great Enthusiasm

On Saturday 14 November 2015 the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) presented the first Drama Festival finale, which was hosted by the Swellendam Municipality at the VGK Church hall in Swellendam. The event was opened and welcomed by Mayor Nicholas Myburgh, who thanked the department for this great initiative and the Baxter Theatre’s Zabalaza team for developing the youth in drama.

The Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Anroux Marais, was overwhelmed by the amount of interest in the arts shown by the Overberg community and conveyed to the audience that the Department is driven in developing youth in these communities and providing them with opportunities in the arts.

The first finale included three productions: Net vir Pret, Swellendam Secondary School and home town favourites Bontebok Primary School. It was Net vir Pret though, who impressed not only the audiences but the adjudicators as well, thus winning the award for the best production and the opportunity to perform at next year’s Suidoosterfees. The event was concluded with the winners of the Cape Winelands/Eden Drama Festival for 2014, Team Bring It, delivering their winning performance called Unlocked Cages.

Project Manager Moeniel Jacobs said that even though it is the first finale in the Overberg District, the community has shown great support for this initiative and that this is evident in the full house they had at the event. “There is talent in these communities. All we need to do is to support the youth and provide them with a platform and the opportunity to develop and showcase their talents,” he said.

The best production and runner up will compete next year during the Suidoosterfees against the winners of the Eden and Cape Winelands Drama Festival, which are taking place on Saturday 21 November 2015 and Saturday 28 November 2015 respectively.