Shakespeare Schools Festival South Africa
The Shakespeare Schools Festival South Africa
History
The Shakespeare Schools Festival was launched in 2010, to strengthen the link between the Arts and Education, at its core, the festival is an educational program, aimed at improving language and social skills through the Performing Arts. We aim to unite children from diverse backgrounds in Southern Africa and empower them to transform their lives, using the unique power of theatre and the works of Shakespeare as the vehicle. Since it’s inception, the festival has become Africa’s largest Shakespeare youth drama program and has worked with over 490 schools, 9000 youth, 670 teachers across the Western Cape, Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal and the Eastern Cape.
How the Festival works
Participating schools prepare and perform 30-minute abridged versions of the Shakespeare play of their choice, and their bonsai interpretations are excellent learning and teaching tools. Staging a Shakespeare play in a professional theatre is a challenge to be relished. The SSFSA allows young people to explore their potential in a fun, developmental way, simultaneously making their theatre debut on a professional stage, such as at The Fugard Theatre, in a non-competitive environment.
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