Student Theatre Festival

The Student Theatre Festival is a showcase at the National Arts Festival for young talent from tertiary institutions across South Africa. It is the only Student Theatre Festival of its kind in South Africa, and each university showcases one play which is eligible for various award categories.

History

Previous winners

2012

Sponsored by the South African Post Office

South African Post Office Cape Triangular Award for the best director and writer: Kline Smith from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg)

Best Overall Production: Homeless Orchestra by University of Cape Town (their award included a larger production for the 2013 Student Festival)

Best Ensemble: Fence by the Market Theatre Laboratory

Merit Award: Reclaiming Body – Reclaiming Self by University of the Western Cape

Up and Coming Director: Joanna Evans from University of Cape Town

Best Poster Design: University of Johannesburg for SA Shorts and University of Stellenbosch for Animals

2013

Sponsored by the South African Post Office

2014

Best Student Theatre Production: Solo by Rhodes University

The SA Post Office reaffirmed their investment in the development of a new generation of theatre professionals through their support of the Student Theatre Festival. The South African Post Office Student Theatre Awards will offer winners various levels of support to present productions at next year’s Festival. A panel of advisors comprising Gez Casey, Peter Terry, Warona Seane and Jacqueline Domisse recognised enormous potential amongst the seventeen university productions that were presented at the Festival this year.

The Award for Best Student Theatre Writer was presented to Alex McCarthy and Callum Tillbury for the University of Cape Town script Uhm. The Best Student Theatre Director Award was won by Gopala Davies for the University of Pretoria production Barbe Bleue. The Award for Best Student Theatre Production was presented to Rhodes University for Solo. The Student Theatre Advisors’ Award for the Best Poster was presented to University of Witwatersrand’s Maid in Mzansi and the Festival’s Marketing Team’s Choice Award for Poster Design was awarded Oakfield College’s poster for their production Flesh.

2015

Best Student Production: Void by Rhodes University

Special Merit Certificates for design: Frankie van Straten from Rhodes University

2016

Best Production: Nomination - Figs by (University Of Cape Town); Winner - Nyanga by Rhodes University

Most Promising Playwright of the Year: Nominations - Thembela Madliki from Rhodes University and the cast of Pharmakon from University of the Free State for a devised script; Winner - Figs by Namisa Mdlaloze and Pueng Stewart from University Of Cape Town

Most Promising Director: Nominations - Sarah Nansubuga from Wits University for The Village and Dara Beth of University Of Cape Town for Figs; Winner - Thembela Madliki from Rhodes University

Awards for the best works by students at the National Arts Festival were decided by a panel, convened by Jacqueline Dommisse, that included Lee-Ann van Rooi and Bertina Johnson.