(Actress, director and editor of artSMart, Caroline Smart, is among the judges)
Six vibrant performers get a once in a lifetime opportunity
during preparations for the 7th ACT | DALRO | Nedbank Scholarships Awards
finale.
The finalists, who were selected after taking part in the
arts talent competition’s national search, join a creative team comprising
industry professionals, and in the process have undergone intensive week-long
rehearsals from October 6 to 12 for the final show.
The event, hosted at the iconic Market Theatre for the first
time this year, will see the top six showcasing their acting, dancing and
singing abilities to a live audience and an independent panel of judges.
The panel includes esteemed professionals - James Ngcobo,
Ashraf Johaardien, Charlie van Rooyen, Caroline Smart and Jennis Williamson –
who join a long list of industry greats and experts such as Gregory Maqoma, Kim
Cloete, Nthati Moshesh, Bryan Schimmel, Anton Luitingh, Nolo Phiri and Bianca
le Grange, who have previously judged the awards.
The creative team who will help refine the top six’s
routines and put together a seamless production will be made up of well-known
actor, theatre-maker and director, Jacques Bessenger who returns as Artistic
Director, and Franco Prinsloo who will work as Musical Director for yet another
year. Market Theatre Laboratory apprentice Salome Sebola joins the team as
Assistant Director.
As the Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) is passionate about
continuous support and the grooming of young artists, this year previous
winners Chantèl Evans (R105,000 prize winner in 2012) and Kamogelo Nche (R60,000
prize winner in 2013) will also bring their know-how to assist the hopefuls
with choreography and dance performances.
Judges will select winners for three scholarships to the
value of R150,000, R105,000 and R60,000 respectively. Made possible by the
Dramatic, Artistic and Literary Rights Organisation (DALRO) and Nedbank Arts
Affinity, the funds will afford the top three with opportunities to study any
performing arts course at an accredited South African tertiary institution of
their choice.
This year’s finals will be emceed by 20-year-old Tshwane
University of Technology (TUT) Musical Theatre student Raymond Motadi from
Lephalale in Limpopo. The outspoken TshwaneFM radio presenter believes that
hosting the Scholarships finals is the start of his vision towards making a
mark in South Africa’s entertainment industry.
ACT’s CEO Pieter Jacobs supports Raymond’s sentiments by
sharing his views on the success of the great talent unearthed from individuals
who have presented the Scholarships over the years: “It’s encouraging to
witness the impact this experience has on the careers of some of our previous
presenters. Altovise Lawrence has gone on to emcee ACT’s 20-year celebrations
and annual Awards ceremony in 2014 and Bongani Nomcweya made a number of
appearances at Nedbank events after his stint on the Scholarships stage. The
aim is to afford budding presenters an opportunity to exercise their emcee
skills and we are delighted to see this result in career enrichment for these
young people.”
The final of the 2015 ACT | DALRO | Nedbank Performing Arts
Scholarships will be held at the Market Theatre in Newtown on October 12, 2015,
with additional support provided by the National School of the Arts (NSA) and
Jade Bowers Design and Management. Needing to prove their ‘triple-threat’
status, the six finalists will each prepare singing, dancing and acting solos,
and two group numbers; under the guidance of the creative team.
For more information on the Scholarships programme, visit www.act.org.za
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