The Zabalaza Theatre Festival is a festival presented annually by the Baxter Theatre Centre in Cape Town.

Name

The full name, Zabalaza Intsika eBaxter Theatre, loosely translated, means two things: striving towards being a pillar of the Baxter Theatre Centre and striving towards success.

Background

Referred to as a "development festival", it is in essence a community theatre festival which showcases community productions from all over the Western Cape, in an effort to develop local artistry. The festival was a redevelopment and rebranding of the Ikhwezi Theatre Festival.

Zabalaza is a Baxter Theatre Centre Development Programme that develops theatre practitioners from in and around the Western Cape in partnership with Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sports (DCAS) by providing them with performance platforms so that they can realise their creative concepts. This is achieved through mini-festivals in target communities, script readings, showcases and a theatre festival held at the Baxter Theatre Centre annually in March.

Zabalaza Theatre Festival

A call goes out annually around July for anyone who is interested in staging a production at the Zabalaza Theatre Festival. The Festival takes over the Baxter Theatre Centre, invading all the Baxter’s spaces to create a festive atmosphere. Community theatre groups are given the opportunity to present their plays on a professional performance platform. Approximately 50 new theatre works, many of them in indigenous languages, are created annually.

Community mini-festivals

Selected productions are invited to participate in mini festivals. These take place in various communities in and around the Western Cape. Mini festivals have been hosted in the communities of Robertson, Kraaifontein, Stellenbosch, Khayelitsha, Langa, Delft, Nyanga East and Athlone to name a few. Depending on the number of applications from each community, Zabalaza is committed to bringing mini festivals to as many of the communities across the province as possible.

Other festivals

The Western Cape Department of Arts and Culture, together with Zabalaza, aims to create drama festivals in all of the districts of the Western Cape. To date they have managed to create festivals in the following districts: Cape Winelands; Eden; Overberg; West Coast.

Showcases

Every June, Zabalaza hosts a 3-day script-writing workshop, in which writers are invited to develop their skills. These writers are asked to go back to their communities and create productions to be staged in a showcase in August. Selected productions from the showcase are invited to attend another 3-day workshop in September, where the focus is on acting, directing and the development of their scripts. The best productions from these showcases are awarded a place in the Baxter Zabalaza Theatre Festival programme. These productions also participate in the annual Suidoosterfees at Artscape, and a select few are also granted the opportunity to participate in either the ABSA KKNK in Oudtshoorn or the Best of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport.

Zabalaza management team

The team heading up the festival is Mdu Kweyama (artistic director) and Bulelani Mabutyana (Coordinator), Imameleng Masitha (administrator) and Nontsikelelo Maboza (Audience Development). The core team is complemented by a number of fieldworkers/facilitators who assist on an ad-hoc basis in preparing works for the festival. These fieldworkers/facilitators consist of various artistic experts who play the role of mentors to these theatre groups leading up to the festival’s opening.

History

Initiated by co-founders and coordinators Lara Foot and and Zoleka Helesi, it was first presented in 2011, and usually takes place in March.

The 2016 festival for example consisted of the Zabalaza Weekend on Saturday, 12 and Sunday, 13 March, when all venues and spaces in the theatre complex offered diverse artistic activities, be followed by the Main Programme (14 to 18 March)and an award ceremony on the Saturday the 19th March. The winning production receives a full run at the Baxter Theatre later in the year.

In 2018 the Festival first instituted the Zabalaza Challenge, a project to encourage individuals, businesses and organisations to purchase bulk tickets, at the price of only R30 each, for those who might not be able to afford them or would not otherwise be able to attend.

In 2021, its 11th year, the festival, featuring 200 artists and 21 productions, ran from 19 to 27 March under rather restricted circumatances, subject to the COVID-19 Level 1 restrictions, with all protocols in place. The 11th festival was dedicated to the memory of Zoleka Helesi, co-founder and coordinator of the Zabalaza Theatre Festival since its inception, who sadly passed away on 11 December 2020.

Aims and objectives

To encourage and contribute to the development of new South African work by providing a platform for artists who want to venture into acting, stage management, writing and directing.

To provide an ongoing skills programme in areas of theatre-making to upcoming artists.

To identify raw talents in the community theatre groups and expose them to theatre of a professional standard.

To promote and build a culture of attending theatre among new audiences.

To provide mentorship/internships to deserving individuals (writers, directors, stage managers, actors, etc.) who would like to take up theatre as a career.

To provide guidance and information where necessary to upcoming artists.

Best of Zabalaza Winners

Every year one or more production is awarded the winner of Zabalaza Finest of the Fest. The winning production goes through a mentorship process to raise the standard of the work before it is mounted for a two week season at the Baxter. This provides the company with another opportunity to stage their work in a professional theatre with full logistical support. Most of the winning productions have had the opportunity to participate in other festivals and tour across South Africa, even being invited to participate in international festivals.

2011: Uhlazo by Loyiso Damoyi

2012: Worst of Both Worlds by Bulelani Mabutyana

2013: Skierlik by Phillip Dikotla (winner of the Olive Schreiner Prize)

2014: The Champion by Khayalethu Anthony (winner of the Fresh Award for Writing at the 2017 Cape Town Fringe Festival)

2015: Fruit by Paul Noko

2016: TIP-ex by Lauren Hannie

2017: Boy Ntulikazi by Thobani Nzuza and Kagiso Tsimakwane

2018: Onweer by Carlo Daniels

2019: Die 9de Maand by Tyron Zoutman, Ukuwa Kwe Nkaba by Mthombisi Mpandle

2020: First Accused by Mava Silimko

2021: Blood On The Road directed by Wendy Mrali, Ganga Nyoko! Inzima Nyoko! directed by Siphenathi Siqwyi, Thank You For Your Service directed by Buhle Qhinga and Aphiwe Livi, Heads or Tails directed by Robyn September

2022: Hostel Lights directed by Sohail Booise, Back to Ashes by Molupi Lepdi

For more information

See also Community Theatre Festival

Sources

"Zabalaza Theatre Festival is here!" Publicity letter from Leon van Zyl (leon.vanzyl@uct.ac.za), sent on behalf of the Baxter Theatre Centre , Friday, 11 March, 2016.

"Zabalaza Theatre Festival", The Baxter newsletter, Tue 2021/03/16 13:48[1]

https://www.newslink.co.za/2022/04/01/baxter-zabalaza-theatre-festival/

Baxter Theatre Centre website at http://www.baxter.co.za/

Go to ESAT Bibliography