ZABAZALA ARTS FESTIVAL IN BAXTER THEATRE

 


The Baxter’s Zabalaza Theatre Festival is calling for applications from theatre-makers, directors, script writers, community groups and theatre companies to participate in the 2015 Zabalaza Theatre Festival.
The festival will take place at the Baxter Theatre Centre from 20 to 28 March.
The deadline for applications is by 3 October 2014.
Click here for the 2015 Zabalaza application form!!!
Productions which are selected from applications received will first be auditioned and will then be invited to participate in the Zabalaza mini-festivals, which are planned for January 2015, when the final selection for the 2015 festival line-up will be made.
Auditions take place from 6 October through to 12 December 2014, so artists are strongly encouraged to apply early.
The Festival organisers are looking for one or two-handers, children’s theatre productions, puppetry, musical theatre, drama, comedy, physical theatre and storytelling.
“As we are celebrating our fifth year next year, we would really like to encourage artists to challenge themselves creatively and move beyond their artistic comfort zones,” says Thami Mbongo, artistic director of the Zabalaza Theatre Festival.  “Our festival is about artistry and therefore does not have any limits. The full range, in any genre, is most welcome to be part of this event and, most importantly, we would also like to see more diversity in terms of participants as well as audiences.”
Zoleka Helesi, Zabalaza co-ordinator, agrees, “We have seen children’s theatre growing at a rapid rate each year on our programme and there is a great demand from the audiences, especially schools. I want to encourage artists and companies to create theatre for the little ones as well; we want them to be exposed to and experience the magic of theatre.”
Previous festival participants are also welcome to apply, provided that they bring an entirely different production. Those who auditioned in 2014 and were not selected to be part of the programme may re-apply by auditioning with the same production, provided that they can show that they have worked on improving it.
The Zabalaza festival team has already been hard at work searching for productions that will be part of next year’s festival. They attended the Eden Drama Festival and Cape Wineland Drama Festival and the winners of those festivals will form part of next year’s programme. The final selection from these regions will be made in November.
“We would once again like to thank the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport for their generous assistance and support and for believing in the work we are doing,” says Bongile Mantsai, Zabalaza PRO and financial manager. “We hope to grow the festival even more so that we can continue to offer innovative aspects while reaching far more communities and theatre-makers, so we appeal to corporates and the businesses sector to help to achieve this goal. The aim is to develop it into an African festival that serves other parts of our continent as well.”
Applications for the 2015 Zabalaza Theatre Festival close on 3 October 2014 and entry forms may be obtained from the festival office at the Baxter Theatre Centre, Main Road, Rondebosch. They can also be downloaded from www.baxter.co.za or www.facebook.com/zabalazafestival
Interested community groups and theatre-makers from outside the Western Cape are also welcome to apply. The amount of funding available will determine how many of these can be accepted. Applicants will be informed of the result of their applications.
For further enquiries or more information contact Ziyanda Mxokozeli or Zoleka Helesi on 021 680 3980, fax to 021 689 1880 or email  them ziyanda.mxokozeli@uct.ac.za, zoleka.helesi@uct.ac.za or baxterzabalaza@uct.ac.za. Alternatively visit www.baxter.co.za www.facebook.com/zabalazafestival.

Ends

About Zabalaza Theatre Festival
In 2011 the Baxter Theatre Centre launched its Zabalaza Theatre Festival with a new name, managing team, vision, format and programme designed to showcase new and upcoming talent that may otherwise not be seen on professional stages.

The full name, Zabalaza Intsika eBaxter Theatre loosely translated, means two things: striving towards being a pillar of the Baxter Theatre Centre and striving towards success.

Aims and Objectives of the festival
•             To encourage and contribute to the development of new South African work by providing a platform for artists who want to venture into acting, stage management, writing and directing
•             To provide an ongoing skills programme in areas of theatre-making to upcoming artists
•             To identify raw talents in the community theatre groups and expose them to theatre of a professional standard
•             To promote and build a culture of attending theatre among new audiences
•             To provide mentorship/internships to deserving individuals (writers, directors, stage managers, actors, etc.) who would like to take up theatre as a career
•             To provide guidance and information where necessary to upcoming artists, especially disadvantaged artists

The Team
The team heading up the festival are Thami Mbongo (Artistic Director), Zoleka Helesi (Co-ordinator) and Bongile Mantsai (PRO).  The core team is complemented by a number of fieldworkers; various artistic experts who play the role of mentors to these theatre groups leading up to the festival’s opening. These have included theatre-makers and performers such as Mbulelo Grootboom, Chuma Sopotela, Primrose Mrwebi, Faniswa Yisa, Poseletso Sejosingoe, Mhimhi Mabona and Mandisi Sindo.

Best Production winners
Previous winners of the Zabalaza Best Production award are Uhlazo by Loyiso Damoyi (2011), Worst of Both Worlds by Bulelani Mabutyana (2012), Skierlik by Phillip Dikotla (2013) and The Champion by Khayalethu Anthony (2014).

Some fast facts about the festival
• Nearly 250 groups are visited and auditioned over three months
• An average of nine mini festivals are held to make the final selection
• The festival usually takes place over two to three weeks in different venues at the Baxter
• Nearly 300 artists participate in the programme each year
• Hip hop, spoken word and music theatre have featured on the programme
• Generally four provinces are represented (Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal)
• Performances in five dif
The Baxter’s Zabalaza Theatre Festival is calling for applications from theatre-makers, directors, script writers, community groups and theatre companies to participate in the 2015 Zabalaza Theatre Festival.
The highly popular development festival will take place at the Baxter Theatre Centre from 20 to 28 March and the deadline for applications is by 3 October 2014.

Productions which are selected from applications received will first be auditioned and will then be invited to participate in the Zabalaza mini-festivals, which are planned for January 2015, when the final selection for the 2015 festival line-up will be made. Auditions take place from 6 October through to 12 December 2014, so artists are strongly encouraged to apply early.

The Festival organisers are looking for one or two-handers, children’s theatre productions, puppetry, musical theatre, drama, comedy, physical theatre and storytelling.

“As we are celebrating our fifth year next year, we would really like to encourage artists to challenge themselves creatively and move beyond their artistic comfort zones,” says Thami Mbongo, artistic director of the Zabalaza Theatre Festival.  “Our festival is about artistry and therefore does not have any limits. The full range, in any genre, is most welcome to be part of this event and, most importantly, we would also like to see more diversity in terms of participants as well as audiences.”

Zoleka Helesi, Zabalaza co-ordinator, agrees, “We have seen children’s theatre growing at a rapid rate each year on our programme and there is a great demand from the audiences, especially schools. I want to encourage artists and companies to create theatre for the little ones as well; we want them to be exposed to and experience the magic of theatre.”

Previous festival participants are also welcome to apply, provided that they bring an entirely different production. Those who auditioned in 2014 and were not selected to be part of the programme may re-apply by auditioning with the same production, provided that they can show that they have worked on improving it.

The Zabalaza festival team has already been hard at work searching for productions that will be part of next year’s festival. They attended the Eden Drama Festival and Cape Wineland Drama Festival and the winners of those festivals will form part of next year’s programme. The final selection from these regions will be made in November.

“We would once again like to thank the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport for their generous assistance and support and for believing in the work we are doing,” says Bongile Mantsai, Zabalaza PRO and financial manager. “We hope to grow the festival even more so that we can continue to offer innovative aspects while reaching far more communities and theatre-makers, so we appeal to corporates and the businesses sector to help to achieve this goal. The aim is to develop it into an African festival that serves other parts of our continent as well.”

Applications for the 2015 Zabalaza Theatre Festival close on 3 October 2014 and entry forms may be obtained from the festival office at the Baxter Theatre Centre, Main Road, Rondebosch. They can also be downloaded from www.baxter.co.za or www.facebook.com/zabalazafestival.

Interested community groups and theatre-makers from outside the Western Cape are also welcome to apply. The amount of funding available will determine how many of these can be accepted. Applicants will be informed of the result of their applications.

For further enquiries or more information contact Ziyanda Mxokozeli or Zoleka Helesi on 021 680 3980, fax to 021 689 1880 or email  them ziyanda.mxokozeli@uct.ac.za, zoleka.helesi@uct.ac.za or baxterzabalaza@uct.ac.za. Alternatively visit www.baxter.co.za www.facebook.com/zabalazafestival.

Ends

About Zabalaza Theatre Festival
In 2011 the Baxter Theatre Centre launched its Zabalaza Theatre Festival with a new name, managing team, vision, format and programme designed to showcase new and upcoming talent that may otherwise not be seen on professional stages.

The full name, Zabalaza Intsika eBaxter Theatre loosely translated, means two things: striving towards being a pillar of the Baxter Theatre Centre and striving towards success.

Aims and Objectives of the festival
•             To encourage and contribute to the development of new South African work by providing a platform for artists who want to venture into acting, stage management, writing and directing
•             To provide an ongoing skills programme in areas of theatre-making to upcoming artists
•             To identify raw talents in the community theatre groups and expose them to theatre of a professional standard
•             To promote and build a culture of attending theatre among new audiences
•             To provide mentorship/internships to deserving individuals (writers, directors, stage managers, actors, etc.) who would like to take up theatre as a career
•             To provide guidance and information where necessary to upcoming artists, especially disadvantaged artists

The Team
The team heading up the festival are Thami Mbongo (Artistic Director), Zoleka Helesi (Co-ordinator) and Bongile Mantsai (PRO).  The core team is complemented by a number of fieldworkers; various artistic experts who play the role of mentors to these theatre groups leading up to the festival’s opening. These have included theatre-makers and performers such as Mbulelo Grootboom, Chuma Sopotela, Primrose Mrwebi, Faniswa Yisa, Poseletso Sejosingoe, Mhimhi Mabona and Mandisi Sindo.

Best Production winners
Previous winners of the Zabalaza Best Production award are Uhlazo by Loyiso Damoyi (2011), Worst of Both Worlds by Bulelani Mabutyana (2012), Skierlik by Phillip Dikotla (2013) and The Champion by Khayalethu Anthony (2014).

Some fast facts about the festival
• Nearly 250 groups are visited and auditioned over three months
• An average of nine mini festivals are held to make the final selection
• The festival usually takes place over two to three weeks in different venues at the Baxter
• Nearly 300 artists participate in the programme each year
• Hip hop, spoken word and music theatre have featured on the programme
• Generally four provinces are represented (Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal)
• Performances in five different languages (English, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Zulu, Setswana)
• Over 20 areas represented from all over South Africa
• Six performances daily on the main festival
• On average the main programme showcases between 15 to 18 shows, the fringe 12 to 18 shows, with guest performances by invited artists or groups,
• Zabalaza Theatre Festival’s main funder is the Western Cape Department of Cultural
Affairs and Sport


ferent languages (English, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Zulu, Setswana)
• Over 20 areas represented from all over South Africa
• Six performances daily on the main festival
• On average the main programme showcases between 15 to 18 shows, the fringe 12 to 18 shows, with guest performances by invited artists or groups,
• Zabalaza Theatre Festival’s main funder is the Western Cape Department of Cultural
Affairs and Sport