SANCTA ONE-ACT FESTIVAL PLANS FOR 2010

South African National Theatre Association 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 June 14, 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. Entries will also be entertained 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 who 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.

A technical one-day course and theatre familiarisation will take place in Mpumalanga about the end of April 2010. Transport to Mpumalanga from Gauteng mainly for the technical rehearsal and performance will be provided.

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.

More information on www. sanata.org.za or from Noel McDonald (GP) on 083 309 4315; Wesley Hiepner (KZN) on 072 413 6434, and Henning Botha (MP) on 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.