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Sancta 30th festival "wows" adjudicators The 30th celebratory annual SA Community Theatre Association One-Act Festival was a roaring success with numerous surprises on final night. The adjudicators, Mrs. Hazel Bilsland – Brown and Mr. Renos Spanoudes, stated on final night that they were looking for “Wow” factor & boy did they get it. 4 plays were selected to be performed, instead of the usual 3 plays because of the extremely high standard displayed at this year’s festival. They had their work cut out for them over the week as they had to whittle them down from 14 to a final 4 & an overall winner. The last 4 plays showcased the ‘cream of the crop’ – 2 plays were from Mpumalanga and two from Gauteng Province. It has been a rather hard & daunting process to co –ordinate a festival over 9 the past months, with many trips back & forth between Johannesburg & Secunda, to set the plans in motion. We had to run two separate courses in each province as well as two 2 hour mentoring sessions as part of the process. We then had the privilege of running these again in KZN as we welcomed the Natal groups into the festival. SANCTA 2010 festival was an amazing success, the adjudicators commented on how much the previous participants had grown, the benefits of the courses and mentoring process was evident in the caliber of work that was produced. After each night the adjudicators would give constructive feedback & suggestions where needed & on final night, most plays had taken the adjudicators advice and implemented many of the suggestions. We had three novice directors who did extremely well for first timers; hopefully they have benefitted from the feedback back given & will take it forward & be back next year. We would like to thank Dorothy Anne Gould for co –coordinating the entire educational & mentoring programme, with Michael Maxwell, Jennifer Steyn, Nick Rebello, Daniel Buckland, Craig Higginson and wish them all well in Grahamastown Festival. The themes were an eclectic mix of ‘edutainment’ topical issues ranging from- raping of women and children, xenophobia, drugs in our communities & school, traditional healing & initiation rites, with varying genre’s modern versus traditional dance, choral work, Township Brecht, post modernism & adult contemporary works, especially by Randfontein High School and historical works using Greek styles. There were 14 plays, featuring all stereotypes from our wonderful rainbow nation, as many groups had mixed casts- with wonderful integration between all groups, from young children from Hillbrow to more mature and experienced performers. The two adjudicators gave constructive & detailed feed back - even going as far as calling performers on stage & giving them some practical advice on movement, use of stage etc. There were 9 plays from Mpumalanga, 4 from Gauteng and 1 from Pietermaritzburg (proudly as a result of opening our Durban office last September) We also officially opened a Mpumalanga Sancta branch under control of Henning Botha who will look after our interests in the 7 Municipalities, making up Mpumalanga. We were also honored to have senior placed officials from various Arts and Culture Depts. from Mpumalanga. Our Guest Host of the evening was Isaac Modise Head of Corporate Affairs, Sasol Secunda As a result of the high standards and certain new concepts in the festival. Sancta added three new awards to the list of categories . The winners are as follows: 1. 2nd adjudicators special merit award – shared between two novice productions- Pink Mynah support group by The Thespians from KZN and Versatile from Mpumalanga 2. The Adjudicators special award – Noel McDonald for 30 years of service to Sancta and organizing this massive festival undertaking from Jhb over many months. 3. Best foyer display – The Thespian Club from Pmbg 4. Best backstage technical excellence - shared by two plays from Dreamworkz, Randfontein High School- for Family Portrait and Fat men in skirts. 5. Best set –The Shaka’s – Laduma Artists- Mpum 6. Best original script – We can by Mandla Sibia (Mpum) 7. Best Cameo performance – Taelo Mathabatha as Kwei. Doris in Adamastor- The Waterfront Theatre Group (Mpum) 8. Best actress in a supporting role – Andiswa Hlangkela as Detective Nguni in Nothing but the truth – Lenient Movement (Mpum) 9. Best actor in a supporting role – Xolani Makelloggs in Behind the light – Hlananathi, Hillbrow, Jhbg 10. Runner up to best actress – shared again by Dreamworkz by Dimpho Mnisi as Phyllis Hogan and Masechaba Dijoe as Popo Martin11. best actress in a leading role – Karabo Tshikube as Bishop Hogan (played a male role) – Dreamworkz 11. .Runner up to best actor – Chris Harrison – as Adamastor for the Waterfront Theatre Group 12. Best actor in a leading role – Mandla Sibia as Mandla. Potgieter and various roles in –We can- by Isiyanquoba(Mpum) 13. Best Novice production – Xenophobia by Amaqhawe (Mpum) 14. Best technical organisor – Barry Neuwerth from Sancta for running two weeks of rehearsals and the Festival 15. Best ensemble – Ama Parasite- Izaze zase(Mpum) 16. Theatrical excellence – Light in the Mist – Hillbrow Theatre Project, as part of the Lutheran Church Outreach Foundation 17. Best Costumes – NEW AWARD – The Shaka’s – Laduma Artists (Mpum) 18. Best Choral group – NEW AWARD – Family Portrait – Dreamworks, Randfontein High School 19. Best sound and lighting.- NEW AWARD- Sound to Adamastor; lighting to The Lost Child by Y- People in theatre (Witbank) 20. Best Director – Atlegang Mosimanekgosi for Fat men in skirts – Dreamworkz, RHS 21. 3rd runner up to best production – Adamastor directed by Henning Botha for The Waterfront Theatre Group (Mpum) 22. 2nd Runner up to best production- Behind the light – directed by Bheki Kumalo for Hlananathi , Hillbrow 23. Runner up to best production- Fat men in skirts directed by Atlegang Mosimanekgosi for Dreamworkz – RHS 24. Best Production for 30th Anniversary 2010 Sancta festival – We can Directed by Mandla Sibia. (who left on Sunday to take the play to Grahamastown- Break a leg) In his closing speech, Noel thanked the adjudicators (who traveled 360 kms daily from Jhb – Secunda) for contributing to an excellent week & assisting with the awards. He also mentioned that “everyone participating is a winner” Noel thanked Sancta’s sponsors: The National Arts Council, who were determined that we stage the festival in Mpumalanga, as there is plenty of talent with little outlet. & that we hold educational & mentoring courses in all provinces; Dalro- Samro Trust for the Arts, whose grant (since 2000) has enabled us to have professional adjudicators of high quality & from whom we already have our 2011 grant. Sasol Secunda sponsored Sancta in kind and also added R40000.00 prize money to 5 categories and some new individual trophies as well as the medals; Business and Arts (Basa) for their mentoring programme and support. We also wish to thank the media in Jhb and Mpumalanga, Radio Capricorn in Limpopo and Angela Sartori from Black Orchard TV who televised an interview with Sancta and added inserts from Hillbrow Theatre Project for DSTV The Naledi Awards which are run under TMSA has a category for Community Theatre & all the plays , together with other festivals in conjunction with Sancta that have / or are still to be judged in 2010, are eligible for nomination in this category in the 2011 awards. In 2009. the Sancta winning play, “Some Fathers Sons’- was chosen to represent Sancta & South Africa in the 4 yearly Festival du Mondial , under The International Amateur Theatre Association(IATA). We booked a possible slot for the 2 yearly interim festival for the winning play (or any of the 4 if the winner can’t go) to go to a festival in Finland in August 2011. Of course this means raising money as airfares are not included. We therefore appeal to any Corporate Companies that wish to come on board for Sancta in any way to contact us urgently. So 2010 festival is over & our dream of becoming National has started. Hopefully Cape Province (where we hope to open a branch shortly) as well as some of the other provinces will be included. What is very pleasing, is that there is now an inter – provincial cross pollination built up. KZN is bringing their play to The Randfontein High School festival in August/ For any information on Sancta and its festivals please contact Noel on 0833094315 Issued by Noel Mc Donald (National Chair) Sancta 30th June 2010 GAY PLAY WINS TWO AWARDS AT SANCTA FESTIVAL IN MPUMALANGA PRESS RELEASE FROM GAY & LESBIAN NETWORK, PIETERMARITZBURG The gay play “Pink Mynah Support Group” by the Thespian drama group of the Gay & Lesbian Network won two awards at the South African National Community Theatre Association (SANCTA) festival in Mpumalanga on Saturday 26 June 2010. This was the first time that the drama group participated in a festival. The play was nominated for five awards from the following categories and won two awards for best foyer display and adjudicators special merit award.
The Thespian drama group was the last to perform on the final night on Friday 25 June and included feedback from the adjudicators. The adjudicators were Hazel Bilsland-Brown and Renos Nicos Spanoudes. The play received a resounding standing ovation and the audiences were touched by the scenes of the play. The cast members were congratulated and received encouraging and motivational responses from the audiences. The adjudicators Hazel Bilsland-Brown and Renos Nicos Spanoudes said “This play is breaking new ground and is flipping over due, lovely staging, faboulous production and suggested the play be taken forward to other parts of South Africa, especially in schools”. Ntsiki Dlamini – cast member and Veron Moodley, Safe Spaces Coordinator accepted the awards on behalf of the Network. Ntsiki Dlamini said “We so proud of our achievements and our message really got across and are excited from the positive responses”. Veron Moodley, Safe Spaces Coordinator said “This was our first performance at a national festival and really broke new grounds. The play was a major success and we have been invited by Randfountein High School in Johannesburg to perform at their festival in August this year. The Network is very proud of the performers and they are very talented. We would like to thank the KZN Arts and Culture department for their valuable support which made it possible for us to participate in the festival”. The Network will be having a planning workshop with the drama group with the aim of planning for performances for the year ahead. ENDS PRESS RELEASE FROM THE GAY & LESBIAN NETWORK, PIETERMARITZBURG GAY PLAY SELECTED FOR SANCTA FESTIVAL IN MPUMALANGA 
The Gay & Lesbian Network is proud to announce that its drama group the Thespian Club has been selected to perform at the South African National Community Theatre Association (SANCTA) festival on the 24-27 June 2010 at the Johannes Stegman Theatre, Secunda, Mpumalanga.The drama group have developed a script called the ‘Pink Mynah Support Group’ and the submission of the play qualified to be entered into the festival which was adjudicated by SANCTA. The group is in the early stages of development and had received some mentoring and support through skills workshops in preparation for the festival in Mpumalanga. The mentoring was provided by Daisy Spencer* who is qualified in the area of drama and has choreographed and directed a number of drama and dance performances in Durban. The mentoring was made possible by SANCTA and took place at the Catalina Theatre, Maydon Wharf in Durban on the 24 April, 17 May and 5 June 2010. The goal of the workshops was to create the opportunity for cast members to take the platform as drama artist and to prepare them for the festival. The following were skills that they were taught at the workshop: warm up exercise, graphic mime, story creating, team building and received input and recommendations from the facilitator on the play. Daisy Spenser said “I would like to vouch for their capabilities and readiness to be given a substantial chance to prove that they are the next generation of able and capable performers which our country can be proud of.” The drama group is part of the Safe Spaces programme which aims to create safe spaces through various activities including drama but most important to create awareness of gay and lesbian issues in society. Vernon Moodley-Safe Space Coordinator of the Gay & Lesbian Network said “The drama group has grown since they started out and show great potential of furthering drama as a career. We would like to wish them all the success for the festival. We would also like to thank the Arts & Culture Department, KZN for funding the drama group which has made it possible for them to participate in the festival.” For more information or to make a donation to the drama group please contact Veron Moodley at 033-3426165 or visit our office at 185 Burger Street, Pietermaritzburg. ENDS *Daisy Spencer has an Honours in Drama (Cum Laude) and English from Rhodes University. Was a member of Andrew of the UBOM Eastern Cape Drama Company and trained in the following areas: choreography, mime, physical theatre and directing. She has performed and directed in many productions and won the Durban Theatre Award for best female in a comedy. She is currently choreographing Hairspray for this year’s Young Performer’s Project in Durban. Background - The drama group was established in November 2009 and the group consists of cast of 15 members between the ages of 17-26 years old who work, or at school or studying and unemployed. THE DRAMA PERFORMANCES Content of the drama - The main aim of the drama is to challenge stereotypes and to look at challenges faced by gays and lesbians. The group performed for the first time at the Pink Mynah festival on the 1 December 2009 at the Hexagon Theatre, Pietermaritzburg which was very successful. The group has been rehearsing in preparation for more performance in the community and performed at the Aids Foundation of South Africa workshop on the 3 June in Durban. The response of the audience - Where ever performances were done, the audience were very much touched. The story line was relatable to the audience and it moved a certain part within them. This encouraged the cast to do more plays of the same calibre in different parts of South Africa. The impact of the drama - A lot of interest was generated from the performance which was a creative way to sensitize the homosexual issue in our societies. As the audience watching the play it was informative and it put to light that homosexuals are humans and need to be respected. An Insight of the Play – Script “Pink Mynah Support Group” i. First sequence was about a lesbian who was a teacher and she was suspended for her sexuality. ii. Second, sequence was about a men working in the mine, he was also chased away with other gay men in the compound iii. Third sequence was about a lesbian who was raped and never got justice served to her because of sexual orientation. iv. Fourth sequence, was about a gay who was a performer and got shot on stage v. Fifth sequence was a woman who invited a gay friend to church and the pastor discriminate him and exposed him as an unworthy to be in the house of the Lord. Sancta 30th One Act Festival opens in Secunda The South African Community Theatre Association (Sancta) presents its 30th Celebratory One Act Play festival in Secunda from 21-26 June 2010 The day has finally arrived. Just as we have been waiting for the 2010 soccer World Cup to start, so Sancta has been planning since September last year for our 30th celebratory One- Act Festival opening on Monday 21 June in Secunda. The technical week is already underway. After much planning and thanks to a generous grant from The National Arts Council, who determined that we must hold our Festival in Mpumalanga, the 14 final participants are ready for their great moment at The Johannes Stegmann Theatre in Secunda. The final plays were chosen from initial scripts sent to our panel of experts who read them and decided which plays they felt had a chance of being developed and reaching production to stage. Sancta, thanks to our Patroness Dorothy Anne Gould, has run two sets of theatrical education courses, covering script writing and development, acting, directing, physical theatre, voice, movement in the last 4 months and each play has been mentored in two sessions. We must thank Dorothy Gould, Michael Maxwell, Daniel Buckland, Craig Higginson, Nicky Rebello and Jennifer Steyn for their many hours of devotion and travelling locally and to Mpumalanga. The courses and mentoring have enriched over 250 people. We also arranged, through a great friend, Themi Venturas of the Catalina Theatre in Durban, for Daisy Spencer to give courses and mentoring to the Durban groups. This is not our first festival – though on lesser scales- in Mpumalanga and we have 9 entries from there, 4 from Gauteng and finally, thanks to opening a Durban office last year, we have an entry from Pietermaritzburg. Sadly another KZN entry had to cancel. Although Henning Botha has been our Mpumalanga representative for a long while, we shall officially launch the Secunda Branch on final night. The adjudicators, with many years experience in the theatre world, are Hazel Bilsland Brown, Tallowah Suntsha and one that started his career in Sancta in the late 90s – Renos Spanoudis. He was part of Postpunk Productions, Pretoria with a play “Mediocrity” written by Anton Krueger (who has a new play opening in Grahamstown next week) that went to the International Amateur Theatre Association (IATA) prestigious Festival du Mondial in Monaco, which Sancta has since participated in in 2005 and 2009. Sancta is the sole South African representative of IATA. We must thank all our sponsors that made this festival possible: The National Arts Council; Samro- Dalro - Endowment for the National Arts, who largely sponsor the fees for the professional adjudicators; Sasol Secunda, who have sponsored many spheres of the festival in kind and are for the first time enabling us to give cash awards to the three winning plays, and for a number of other categories. They are also sponsoring individual commemorative trophies and medals for all the winners in the 21 categories of awards and issuing certificates to every participant. We must also thank The Johannes Stegmann Theatre and the Arts and Culture Department of the Govan Mbeki Municipality who generously, in the interests of Community arts, sponsored one week’s hire of the theatre. We are also members of The Theatre Management Association, TMSA, which runs the prestigious Naledi Awards. In the awards is a category for Community Theatre, and Sancta has been part of The Naledi Awards since inception and TMSA recognizes that the future of our professional TV and stage performers come from Community Theatre as many recipients in the professional categories have started with Sancta and other community based organizations. We have had 4 Community Theatre Category winners- two local and two from Mpumalanga - over the years. Due to the World Cup, the distance many groups travel from all over Mpumalanga and to make the festival as accessible to a new generation of theatre-goers in Mpumalanga, the ticket prices are only R15 for the three plays nightly, with the final night tickets at R20. Tickets are available from Noel McDonald 083 309 4315 or Henning Botha in Secunda 082 440 8120. For any information on Sancta and its activities contact Noel McDonald 083 309 4315, sancta@artslink.co.za or visit www.sancta.org.za or facebook . The programme schedule is as follows Monday 21 June 19:00 1 Izazi Zase, Mpumalanga - Ama Parasite 2 Phaphama Entertainment Group, Mpumalanga - Say No To Drugs 3 Y People in Theatre, Mpumalanga - The Lost Child Tuesday 22 June 19:00 1 Versatile, Mpumalanga - When the Wind Has Gone Over It 2 The Waterfront Theatre Group, Mpumalanga - Adamastor 3 Laduma Artists, Mpumalanga - The Shaka's Wednesday 23 June 19:00 1 Hlananathi, Hillbrow - Behind the light 2 Lenient Movement, Mpumalanga - Nothing But The Truth 3 Amaqhawe, Mpumalanga - Xenophobia Thursday 24 June 19:00 1 Hillbrow Outreach, Johannesburg - Light in the mist 2 Siyanqoba, Mpumalanga - This is my home 3 Dreamworkz, Randfontein High - Family Portrait Friday 25 June 19:00 1 Dreamworkz, Randfontein High - Fat men in skirts 2 The Thespian Club, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal - The Pink Mynah Support Group Saturday 26 June 17h45 Cocktail Party 18h45 Opening 1 2 3 Three best plays 30 minute interval followed by awards ceremony A full verbal adjudication will be given each night at the end of the three plays. Sancta One-Act Festival 2010 UPDATE At last the names for the 2010 festival have been announced. Congratulations to all and we look forward to seeing yu in secunda in june 2010- only 2 mths to go! A couple of groups have already dropped out so here are the final nominees in no particular order. The panel chose them on the basis of the synopsis and final scripts- where submitted -on the basis of the script line and its ability to get it to stage.The panel congratulates all the finalists and says the rest must carry on honing and fine tuning their scripts GP- 1.Dreamworks- Randfontein High school- Stephen - please advise which play you want to enter as both were eligible 2, Hillbrow theatre- The light in the mist - Sibusiso Hadebe 3.Marvellous Malinga- Hillbrow area- Behind the light 4.NMCD productions- In the Blood KZN- 1. Pink Mynah- Gay and Lesbian Assoc Pmbg 2. Lost in light- Ayanda Mkhize(Our new KZN REP) Kwa Mashu Dbn MPUM 1. Nothing but the truth - Thando Khanye 2.The Shakas- Howard Dladla 3.When the wind has gone - Rynette Andrews 4.The simple hard - Julius Radebe 5.Say no to drugs- Frank Raletjma 6.Adamastor- Waterfront theatre group 7.Lost child- Y people in theatre 8.Class of '85 - Isaze Zaze- last yrs winner and Naledi Nominee 9.The King of Rain- Bwheki Zwane- Igasisi? That makes 15 total. The all day tech will probably held on 1st May at Johannes Stegmann theatre. The 4 mentors will start there work in GP and Mpum- also prob 16/17 GP and 23/ 24 Mpum, followed in mid may by 2nd session.GP mentoring will be at your venue. Mpum mentoring venue to be advised. It is vital now that the directors contact me to let me know that they are definitely in to the death now, as we have a waiting list. Also I need to know urgently who is available to rehearse day/ night, so I can set up the technical rehearsal- remebering Barry must travel to and from Secunda daily probably and cant stay there all day and nite and we must finalise our booking schedule with the theatre, and pay the fees and they differ depending on times used. PLEASE CONTACT ME BY WEDNESDAY 7TH APRIL IN THIS REGARD. I also have to start making arrangements for transport from GP, accommodation for both GP and DBN- they are busy with theirs at present-, organising adjudicators and time is running very short!!We started this process in Sept 09 and its 60 odd days to go now. I must thank our Reps- Original Wesley , now Ayanda in Natal, Anthony in Pmbg; Henning in Secunda; Mpume Mdakane from Sasol as well as all those people that worked so tirelessly with Dorothy Gould to read plays and give workshops in GP and Mpum- Michael Maxwell, Daniel Buckland and Craig Higginson, as well as Jennifer Steyn and Nicky Rebello who are going to join as Mentors. I must also thank Themi Venturas of The Catalina Theatre in Durbanwho has been behind us since we opened in Durban in Sept 09 and is going to do courses and mentoring for the Kzn groups. We must thank the following sponsors- The National Arts Council ; Dalro- The Samro Endowment for the National Arts ; Sasol Secunda; Listen to the interview about SANCTA on BASA Today transmitted on 23 August 2009 (The Arts & Culture Programme) - Hosted by Brooks Spector
Sancta One-Act Festival plans for 2010 The South African National Theatre Association (Sancta) is producing its 2010 One-Act Festival under the theme “Bringing theatre to life that's been penned for 2010”. Thanks to a generous grant from the National Arts Council (NAC), which has certain conditions attached to it, the festival will take place from 14 June - 28 June 2010, with a possible extension of one week, at the Johannes Stegmann Theatre in Secunda, Mpumalanga. Entries are open to Mpumalanga, KwaZulu Natal - through our new Durban office - and Gauteng. We shall entertain entries from the rest of South Africa and Southern Africa. Part of the conditions are that besides the festival, the bulk of the money is to be used for education courses for anyone that wants to attend on condition they are Sancta members . Courses will be open to non-members at a small fee. The courses and mentoring will be under the tutelage of our Patroness, Dorothy Anne Gould, Michael Maxwell, together with a number of professional theatre practitioners, the names of which are at present being finalized. The courses will be held in Gauteng and Mpumalanga and hopefully Durban and will consist of Playwriting - script development, characterization, plot; Stagecraft - acting, directing, voice, movement, improvisation, physical theatre, theatre etiquette; Technical - lights, sound, stage management. They will run until end February. The applications are open and we await provisional scripts. Mentoring of the final plays chosen will be from April until mid May and the final play should be ready by end of May. A technical one-day course and theatre familiarisation will take place in Mpumalanga about the end of April 2010. ***** Transport to Mpumalanga from Gauteng /Possibly KZN- mainly for the technical rehearsal and performance will be provided. **** Conditions of entry: If you wish to enter the festival, an initial dossier and R200 entry fee must be entered by 15 December 2009.You may send a short script synopsis at the same time. See Website for Dossier Sancta membership fees of R200 for 2009/ 2010 can be submitted now. A script - if complete - or /workshopped script must reach us by 10 January 2010. If it is a workshopped script, at least 10 pages of dialogue together with a synopsis of the play and the characters must be submitted in typed format. The script must be in three copies please! If you are not a Sancta member, a membership fee of R200 for 2009/ 2010 must be included. For this initial fee, a panel of experts will read the entry, comment upon it and return it for further enhancements to be returned by 15 February 2010. The panel will again scrutinize it and 15 plays will be chosen on the “Merit of the Script and its ability to reach the stage”, going hand in hand with the education courses and mentoring which will start in Gauteng at The Westdene Recreation Hall provisionally on 13/14 January 2010 18.30 - 21.30. The Mpumalanga courses will probably be held in Kinross, on Saturday 16 January 2010. A final script must be submitted by 15 March 2010 from which 15 plays will be chosen from the three provinces depending on the “merits of the script”. In terms of the rules of the Sancta Festival/ Naledi Awards, a play must be between 30-45 minutes, with at least three speaking parts, and have a clear storyline running through it. Music and dance to compliment the story can only make up 20 percent of the time period. The final script must be accompanied by a reduced entry fee of R300. Sancta will also be running a Poster Competition (R30 fee) as well as their 8th Annual New SA One- Act Play writing Competition (R300 fee), both with a R1000 prize. Sancta membership, 2010 Festival Dossier entry, Poster Competition and new SA Playwriting Competition forms are on our website www. sanata.org.za. or can be obtained from Noel McDonald - GP - 083 309 4315;Wesley Hiepner - KZN - 072 413 6434; Henning Botha - MP- 082 440 8120. Sancta acknowledges with gratitude the sponsorship of the NAC; Dalro- Samro - The National Endowment for the Arts; The Arts and Culture Trust (ACT); Basa for their mentorship assistance and Artslink.co.za for their continued support. Sancta is a member of TMSA/ The Naledi Awards; The SA Chapter of Assitej International; and is the SA Representative of IATA - The International Amateur Theatre Association. The 29th Sancta Annual General Meeting will take place on Saturday 21 November at Jordao College, 16 Turfontein Street, Towerby, (near Rifle Range Road, Rosettenville) at 1.30 pm for 2pm. Further details to follow. For any information on Sancta and its 2010 festival see our website, join Facebook or contact any of the three persons mentioned above. Issued by Noel Mc Donald (National Chair) 05 11 09. Winning play off to Monaco The play “Some Father's Sons”, which won last year's Sancta One-Act Play Festival, is off to Monaco next month to participate in the Festival du Mondial. The festival, held every four years, has 23 other countries participating. “Some Father's Sons” was written by Craig Van Zyl of Benoni, produced by Roy Wilkinson for Rebel Productions and garnered 11 nominations and four awards at last year's festival. It is a moving story of a family in crisis. The death of a mother brings together the disparate members of the family as the packing up of her possessions unearths memories and latent tensions. The arrival of a previously absent father results in an unusual triangle of revenge, hate, justification and intolerance. To fundraise for their trip, the cast - consisting of Roy Wilkinson, Craig van Zyl and Alex Radnitz - are holding a murder mystery dinner at The Quarterdeck Pub and Restaurant, Elston Street, Benoni on 31 July at 19:30. Tickets are available from Craig 082 500 2419 or Roy 072 601 9074. On 7 August at The Old Post Office Theatre, Boksburg at 19:30 they will again perform the play together with "One Fine Sunday Morning", performed by students of St Francis College and "Apartheid" - a solo play by Craig, who wrote all three. A donation for this evening will be appreciated. To book, contact Craig or Roy. This is the 3rd time this millennium that Sancta, who is the SA National Representative of IATA (The International Amateur Theatre Association) is to perform in Monaco, so "Some Father' s Sons" is representing Sancta and South Africa internationally. We wish them bon voyage and "break a leg" and do South Africa proud. Sancta holds successful play festival The SA National Community Theatre Association (Sancta) has just concluded a successful one-act play festival in Secunda on behalf of Sasol Secunda. Nineteen plays were submitted by various community groups from the Gert Sibanda municipality which were read and commented on by Sancta judges, who chose nine plays to go through to the finals on June 12 and 13 June at The Basement Theatre, Lake Umazi in Secunda. A couple of weeks ago, Sancta took six experienced members to Secunda - Hazil Bilsland- Brown, Ori van der Walt, Barry Neuwerth, Alice Davies, Roy Wilkinson and Deny Dube - to run educational courses for over 100 people involved in the original 19 plays in playwriting, script, character and plot development, directing, voice and movement. Those involved in the nine plays chosen were given time with their mentors to discuss their plays and get feedback. During this week, Barry Neuwerth and Gordon Reid went every day to Secunda to do technical rehearsals and on the weekend, Noel McDonald and three adjudicators - Hazel Bilsland-Brown, Andy Bowman and Marvellous Malinga - went to judge the nine plays over two days, choose the best three for the finals on Saturday night, and nominate winners for the awards. The ultimate winners were: 1. A Merit Award for 4th place to "My Dream Is" by The Lenient Movement, written and directed by Thando Khanye, for "exceptional acting, but the script needs development and is worthy of an award to develop it". 2. 2nd Runner-up to Best Production: "Catch a Lift 68" written and directed by Howard Dlada (a former Sancta Naledi Community Theatre Naledi Award Winner) for Laduma Laugh Factory Players. 3. Runner-Up to Best Production: "Lost Child", written and directed by Joseph Moloko, performed by Y- People in Theatre Project . 4. Best Production: "My Destiny", written and directed by Mandla Sibiya, performed by Siyanqoba Performing Art. Prizes totalling R40 000 were given to these winners by Sasol Secunda and the three top plays were given automatic entry in the 29th Annual Sancta One-Act Festival to be held at Wits Downstairs Theatre from 22-25 July. All the other winners received a certificate. INDIVIDUAL WINNERS: Best Actor in a leading role • Mandla Sibiya (My Destiny), character - Zenzo Runner up to Best Actor in a leading role • Sinenhlanhla Mngeyi (Catch a Lift 68), character - elevator worker • Absalom Nkabinde (Catch a Lift 68), character - elevator worker Best Supporting Actor • Sunday Mathibela (My Destiny), character - Father Sibiya Best Actress in a leading role • Portia Radebe (Lost Child), character - Mapule Runner up to Best Actress in a leading role • Alta Wentzel (Snort), character - Eva101 • Sinawo Satshongwe ( Baby girl), character - Chelsea Best Supporting Actress • Thando Khanye (My Dream Is), character - Mpho • Eunice Skosana (Silver Cup Is Broken), character - Winnie Best Cameo performance • Kobus van Staden (Snort), character - Cornerlius Thembinkosi Mdluli (My Dream Is), character - Filmmaker Best director • Mandla Sibiya for (My Destiny) Best Ensemble • The entire cast from Catch a Lift 68 Best choreography • The entire cast from Catch a Lift 68 For information on the Sancta One-Act Festival to be held at Wits Downstairs Theatre 18-25 July contact Noel McDonald 083 309 4315. |
