The fifth annual Playhouse Drama Festival will be hosted in August 2021. Co-hosted and managed by Parel Vallei High School, this event has become a highlight in local theatre’s calendar.
“We look forward to welcoming more and more schools as we have seen the festival grow. We have plays that will be performed in three South African languages, and we would love to see this diversity grow even more. Despite the lockdown, 13 schools entered in 2020,” explains festival co-ordinator and Parel Vallei’s head of culture, Darryl Spijkers.
Started in 2017 by Annelie van Zyl and Yanou Pienaar, the festival allows youth to express themselves in a real theatre environment and take on the challenge of creating, acting, designing, operating and stage-managing.
The festival will take place at the Playhouse Theatre in Somerset West from Wednesday August 11 to Saturday August 21. The theatre is a community-based NPO facility known for its high standards in musicals, plays and dance shows.
The festival’s winning plays over the past 4 years were:
2017 – Kopskoot
2018 – Too Bad
2019 – (V)LUG
2020 – Wentelkind
This year, to accommodate schools entering from far and the limitations some schools have placed on their Drama departments, the festival will have both live and digital options and is open to primary and high schools. Schools can enter full-length one-act plays, shorter one-person plays or monologues.
“The Playhouse operates under strict lockdown regulations and the festival will be no exception. Adjudicators will compare the live and digitally submitted entries and ensure that all are fairly scored. Live performances will bring the excitement and energy of youth to the stage once more as we keep theatre alive under new conditions,” says Mr Spijkers.
Schools can find out more about how to enter or participate by emailing dspijkers@pvallei.co.za. or follow them at #PVculture or on Facebook go to Playhouse Theatre Somerset West.
