"The Arts have a central role to play in nation building and in building social cohesion. Therefore, the Artscape High School Drama Festival is a catalyst for young people to express themselves creatively how they see South Africa and Africa and to engage with each other across cultural barriers, language and geographical areas, to start to build an understanding of the environment they live in. This project is to start to reshape conceptions and attitudes that we have of each other as Africans," said Marlene Le Roux, director of Artscape Audience Development and Education.
The 2013 High School Drama Festival was initiated and co-ordinated by Artscape's educational youth development programme that aims to promote social cohesion, good citizenship and empowerment through the arts.
The finalists will be transported to the Artscape Theatre in August, where they will take part in the High School Drama Main Festival aimed at broadening their skills from 12-15 August, 2013. At the end of the competition, the winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony where they will receive their prizes on 17 August, 2013.
The benefits of participating in the competition are numerous and ongoing: Schools become hubs of sustainable learning as they are given a platform to voice their own creativity, views and concerns to a captive audience while they also get an opportunity to broaden their horizons by experiencing the magic of live theatre, lights, sound and an audience.
This year's theme is Against all odds/ Teen oorwig van waarskynlikheid/ Noba kumnyama entle and will be adjudicated by Francoise Toerien, Pumeza Rashe and Lee-Ann van Rooi who will be tasked to select the winners in the following categories: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Script, Best Director, Best Production, Best Innovative Technical, and for the Option Adjudicator's Award.
| High School Drama Festival 2013 Finalists: | |
|---|---|
| SCHOOL | TITLE OF THE PLAY |
| 1. Alexander Sinton, Crawford | • Going home |
| 2. Cedar, Mitchell's Plain | • Forbidden love and Madame Touxflower |
| 3. Philippi High, Heinz Park in Philippi | • Ibali lasemZantsi Africa |
| 4. Masibambisane, Delft | • I am still alive |
| 5. Schoonspruit, Malmesbury | • Hoek Park |
| 6. Ihlumelo, Mbekweni in Paarl | • My Business |
| 7. Masibambane, Kraaifontein | • The Spirits are talking |
| 8. Light of life theatre, Walacedene in Kraaifontein | • Inxeba lendoda alihlekwa |
| 9. School of Art, Paarl | • White power, black powder |
| 10. George High, Georgedene in Kraaifontein | • Sak en Pak |
| 11. Khwela Community Organisation, Khayelitsha | • Abahlolokazi and Umlingi akaphezi |
| 12. Falsebay college, Khayelitsha | • Siyanzonzobala isbane yazi iyozala nkomoni |
For more information on the competition or ticket bookings (R40 per person), contact Riaan Visman, Artscape school liaison unit manager on +27 (0)21 410 9927 or email az.oc.epacstra@uls.
