Drama Festival Showcase Local Talent of Eden District

On 15 August 2015 the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) hosted the Eden Drama Festival Showcase at the Toekomsrus Community Hall in Oudtshoorn. It was the first part of a number of adjudication showcases taking place across the Eden District.

Drama groups from Ladismith, Dysselsdorp and Oudtshoorn participated in the showcase.  It was made possible through the collaboration with the Oudtshoorn Municipality alongside a strong partnership with the Baxter Theatre's Zabalaza Festival.

The entire day was coordinated by the regional Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) staff in Oudtshoorn. Cultural Officer Moeniel Jacobs opened the showcase with a brief background on the Eden Drama programme. EPWP staff members Mauresha Piedt and Elton Louw showcased their talents as Masters of Ceremonies by keeping the audience entertained while Dimitri Jappies captured the event as photographer and Denver Jansen took care of stage management.

Four Oudtshoorn groups took part in this first leg of the Fifth Anniversary of the Eden Drama Festival.  They were Unity Drama Group (Ladismith), Infantry School Youth Group (Oudtshoorn), Fezekile Arts Group (Oudtshoorn) and DSS Drama Group (Dysselsdorp). Phillip Botha showcased his amazing talent as a poet.

“The Department is proud to be presenting the Festival for the fifth year in Eden and the focus on creating a professional theatre environment in rural communities is evident in the talent we witnessed today at Toekomsrus,” says Moeniel.

Unity Drama Group (Ladismith), DSS Drama Group (Dysselsdorp) and a young writer from Fezekile Arts Group showed great potential and were selected to proceed to the development phase of the festival.

These productions will be subjected to finer touches by the Baxter Theatre’s Zabalaza Festival to prepare them for their finale as well as for the overall winner’s journey to the Zabalaza Festival and Suidoosterfees in Cape Town.

DCAS presents these festivals to identify and develop the arts in communities. Communities should support these events to invest in local talent. Let us continue to develop the arts BETTER TOGETHER.