(Members of the Gay & Lesbian Network show off their prizes)The play Pink Mynah Support Group by the drama group of the Gay & Lesbian Network in Pietermaritzburg, won two awards at the South African National Community Theatre Association (SANCTA) festival in Mpumalanga on June 26. It was the first time the drama group had participated in a festival. The play was nominated for five awards, winning the best foyer display award and the adjudicators’ special merit award.
Fourteen plays were staged at the event, with participants coming from across the country. The Gay & Lesbian Network was the only representative from KwaZulu-Natal and the drama group was the last to perform on the final night.
Pink Mynah Support Group was given a standing ovation, with adjudicators, Hazel Bilsland-Brown and Renos Nicos Spanoudes, saying of the work: “This play is breaking new ground and is flipping overdue. Lovely staging, fabulous production. We suggest the play be taken forward to other parts of South Africa, especially to schools.”
Ntsiki Dlamini, cast member and Veron Moodley, safe spaces coordinator for the Gay & Lesbian Network, accepted the awards. Dlamini said: “We are so proud of our achievements - our message really got across and we’re excited about the positive response.”
Moodley added: “This was our first performance at a national festival and really broke new ground. The play was a major success and we have been invited by Randfontein High School in Johannesburg to perform at their festival in August this year. The Network is very proud of the performers … and we would like to thank the KwaZulu-Natal 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 in the year ahead.
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