(Samson Mlambo)
Some 15 African playwrights have been selected for the
“New Writing for Young Audiences in Africa” programme run by ASSITEJ South
Africa in partnership with the Kennedy Center’s 'New Visions/New Voices'
programme (US) and the Soweto Theatre.
The call for new script ideas opened at the end of last
year and after a plethora of entries the judging panel selected by ASSITEJ SA
have made their final selection. Among the playwrights from South Africa is Mojalefa
Samson Mlambo who has impressed Durban audiences with his plays such as Meet Bro Six Two.
Other South African playwrights are Jon Keevy, Lereko
Mfono, Jennifer Bryson Moorcroft, Koleka Putuma, Khanyisa Sigwanda, Mbasa
Tsetsana, Tamara Shultz, Myer Taub, and Baeletsi Tsatsi.
Also included are Tsungayi Hatitye (Zimbabwe), Neo
Kebiditswa (Botswana), Katlego Kolyane-Kesupile (Botswana), Sophia Mempuh
(Cameroon), and Tosin Tume (Nigeria).
“As we’re reading, we look for excellent plays that will
thrive in a workshop setting,” noted Deirdre Kelly Lavrakas of New Visions/New
Voices; “and the selected writers shared intangibles like connection with their
audience, clarity of vision, and excitement – sometimes the words seemed to
just jump right off the page.”
The programme will work with the playwrights to develop
their ideas into fully-fledged scripts over the coming months, with the end
results possibly being presented at the ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing
Arts Festival to be held in Cape Town in 2017. Yvette Hardie, ASSITEJ South
Africa director and President of ASSITEJ International, explains that “This
programme is part of our Congress incubation… in this case we are focusing on
incubating new writers for theatre for young audiences. Good scripts are vital
in connecting with our audience – we need scripts that speak to the context and
culture of young people with authenticity, empathy, and immediacy!”
The first phase of the programme will be staged-readings
of the first drafts to be read at the inaugural African Youth Theatre and Dance
Festival at Artscape from June 22 to 27. This new festival has been supported
by the Department of Arts and Culture’s Mzansi Golden Economy funding and
brings together several partners who have a commitment to working with young
audiences - a core function of ASSITEJ South Africa. Artscape and AITA/IATA –
the International Amateur Theatre Association – are also partners in this
exciting new venture. Participating programmes and organisations are Brouhaha
UK, Magnet Theatre and Dance for All. The project coordinator is theatre-maker,
Jaqueline Dommisse, whose groundbreaking productions have demonstrated a
commitment to theatre which speaks truthfully and forcibly about current
realities.
For the readings, the scripts will be performed by young
people who form part of Artscape’s educational programmes. Through their active
participation in the readings, these young people will be able to provide sound
feedback to playwrights on their work, and in particular on whether or not the
work is reaching them as the targeted age-group. They will also have an
opportunity to engage with playwrights from different parts of Africa and with
young people from neighbouring countries and communities. This is particularly
important in the present context.
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