One Act Play Festival

GRADE 11 ONE ACT PLAY FESTIVAL

The Girls’ College Drama Department held its annual One Act Play Festival on 20th – 21st October. Grade 11 Dramatic Arts students are tasked to either write, direct, produce or perform in a one act play. This year, four of our students decided to write their own original works and three found pieces that they wanted to direct. Here are the plays that were entered into the festival:

ORIGINAL WORKS

EACH ONE, TEACH ONE written and directed by Sabrina Potter
Production Assistants: Stephanie Ludi and Arite Sekizenge
Cast: Liziwe Memani, Tashana Paulser, Nana Moloi, Kamva Socikwa, Andile Gwamanda, Hungani Ndlovu, Reabetswe Botlholo, Tafara M’ kombe, Michael Cook, Brett Kruger

USERNAME written and directed by Kristen Clare
Production Assistant: Tamlyn Pickering
Cast: Andrea Mutamba, Grace Chilvers, Kelsey Glanz, Joshua van der Velden

LIGHTS OUT written and directed by Katie Groves
Production Assistant: Saskia Howie
Cast:  Nomalanga Luthuli, Jessica Kitching, Kristin Pienaar, Bonolo Shiceka, Jock Kleynhans, Michael Cook, Matthew van Huysteen, Robert Forsyth, Ryan Heubner, Mishaylen Letchman

MENDACIUM written and directed by Faye Galanakis
Production Assistant: Clara-Marie Hammann
Cast: Chante du Preez, Nicole Diab, Keegan Backstrom, Chad Leslie, Joshua Casey, Jonathan Holme

PUBLISHED WORKS

Tremulous by L Wilhelm
Director: Holly Chalmers
Cast: Amy Malan, Tiana Fleming

Numbers by Kieron Barry
Director: Julianne Scott
Cast: Kayla Campbell, Tammy Meier, Mangaliso Luthuli, Laura van Rooyen

Naomi in the Living Room by Christopher Durang
Director: Natalie Travers
Production Assistant: Julia Evans
Cast: Leigh-Anne Behrens, Tayla Prendergast, Jock Kleynhans

PROCESS
Once the directors have finalized scripts, they audition their cast members and then, with the support of their production assistants, proceed to create theatre. We are proud of the dedication and ingenuity the girls have demonstrated in this truly student-driven process. In the words of one of the characters from the original work Each one, teach one by Sabrina Potter, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” The students involved in this event showed heart and courage, integrity and intelligence. Even though they cannot all progress to the next round as part of the distinguished FEDA Festival, each one is a winner.

GRADE 11 ONE ACT PLAY AWARDS

Best Ensemble (Scripted work) - Numbers

Best Ensemble (Original work) - Each one, teach one

Best Set - Tremulous and Naomi in the Living Room

Best Sound Design - Lights Out

Best Lighting - Tremulous

Best Costumes - Naomi in the Living Room

Best Poster - Mendacium

Individual Awards

Best Original Script - Kristen Clare for Username

Best Director - Julianne Scott

Best Dramatic Actress - Amy Malan

Best Dramatic Actor - Joshua van der Velden

Best Comic Actress - Leigh-Anne Behrens

Best Comic Actor - Jock Kleynhans

Best Supporting Female - Tayla Prendergast

Best Supporting Male - Reabetswe Botlholo

Best Characterisation - Tashana Paulser

An Incredible encounter at the Opening Night

We had an incredible encounter last night when we were holding the opening night of the St Stithians Girls’ College One Act Play Festival. One of our students, Grade 11 Sabrina Potter, wrote and directed her own original work entitled Each one, teach one. The play is based on the true life story of one of her family members, Vincent Tshabalala. Vincent was a young freedom fighter who was exiled and later died during the struggle. He was passionate about education and in his memory, his family set up the Vincent Tshabalala Education Trust that sponsors top academic achievers in Alexandria Township through university. The aim of the trust is that graduates who have benefited from the fund return to Alex and share their skills, empowering others to improve their lives (hence the title of the play, which is the motto of the Trust).

In a beautiful piece of ensemble theatre, Sabrina told Vincent’s story – a stark reminder of the price some have to pay for education. The culmination of the piece is a moving rendition of the national anthem sung by the whole cast in perfect harmony.

In the audience on Tuesday were members of the Tshabalala family, the chair of the Trust and two graduates who were beneficiaries of the award who are currently successful professionals, paying it forward by teaching in the programme in their free time. In a line from the play spoken by Vincent’s headmaster, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is not education at all.” This is particularly resonant in the light of the present university demonstrations.

This original work has won a place representing St Stithians Girls’ College in the 2016 FEDA Festival. Our intention is to expand on the piece by introducing a filmic element that depicts the current tertiary education crisis as a foil to the historic depiction of Vincent’s story.

(Peta Hanly)