Twelve original productions compete in Première Theatre Festival
Twelve original productions will compete for top honours at the Stellenbosch University (SU) Department of Drama’s Premiere Theatre Festival.
The Drama Department presents Première, a theatre festival for new and emerging artists, with the support of the ATKV, NATi, and the Johann Brink Trust.
Première is an exciting theatre festival unique to Stellenbosch where original productions are developed and performed by young, innovative theatre makers from SU’s Drama Department. More than 80 students are involved in Première this year – as directors, writers, designers, stage managers and actors.
In February, 18 production proposals were presented to a panel of theatre experts. Twelve of these proposals were eventually selected to participate in the festival. These 12 productions represent a broad spectrum of styles, languages, subjects, and themes.
From 24 – 28 July from 18:00, three productions will be staged every night in the Lab Theatre at the Adam Small Theatre Complex in Stellenbosch, after which a panel of competent judges will deliver a reply. The judges for 2023 are:
- Saartjie Botha, director of the Toyota US Woordfees,
- Cornelia Faasen, CEO of the National Afrikaans Theatre Initiative (NATi),
- Hugo Theart, creative head of the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival, and
- Prof Petrus du Preez, Chair of the SU Drama Department
On Saturday (29 July 2023) the top three productions are invited back to play at the Première Curtain Call. At the end of the evening, various prizes will be handed out and the winning production of the year’s festival will be announced. The prizes include:
- Best Director
- Best Actor (Male and Female)
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male and Female)
- Best New Text
- Best Ensemble
- Best Overall Technical Care and Design
- Best Stage Management and
- Best Overall Technical Achievement.
Each individual winner receives R2 000. The winning production receives a cash prize of R20 000 while also securing a performance at the 2023 Toyota SU Woordfees.
The organisers of the festival, Dr André Gerber and Elana-Marié Snyman, describe Première as a celebration of the young, energetic theatre talent from Stellenbosch. “An enormous part of the professional industry comes from the Stellenbosch University Drama Department. There has always been a creative spirit among the students. We aim to introduce this young talent to Stellenbosch.”
At only R60 per production, audiences can be entertained and challenged by these young theatre-makers’ unique and diverse productions. Audiences are also welcome to listen to the judges’ feedback after the three productions.
Productions
Tuesday
- Tot die dood ons skei| 18:00
- Through Stained Glass Windows| 19:00
- Almal Doen Het Dit| 20:00
Wednesday
- Die Industrie |18:00
- Incarnations of Sand | 19:00
- KLOU | 20:00
Thursday
- Ertjiepit | 18:00
- The Old Man Who Thought He Had a Dog | 19:00
- Kwansuis kreatief en die Vloek daarby 20:00
Friday
- 3 | 18:00
- Front of House 19:00
- Su’Walla Kassam 20:00
Saturday
