Curtain goes up on script competition

ENTRIES are open for the 2018 SCrIBE Scriptwriting Competition. Now in its seventh year, it’s run by the Imbewu Trust and was recently awarded the Fleur du Cap Theatre Award for Innovation in Theatre for its endeavour to develop South Africa’s contemporary theatre.

SCrIBE is a platform for writers to develop their work. Prizes change each year depending on the most suitable support for a designated writer and script.

The competition finalists have the opportunity for their play to be presented at a staged reading, then receive feedback from the professional director and actors involved, as well as the audience members

Prizes have included winning scripts being produced for a run at a professional theatre, mentorship programmes and script development support.

Criteria are that scripts must not have been previously produced, nor have existing future runs plans. They should be in English, no longer than 40 pages or 80 minutes long, and with a maximum of five cast members. Entrants must be over 18.

The Imbewu Trust and judges are again looking for original content of outstanding quality that explores the diverse range of South African stories. The closing date for entries is July 31. The judges are seasoned theatre practitioners.

The shortlist of 2018 entries will be announced at the end of August, with staged Co-founders of the Imbewu Trust, Samantha de Romijn and Paul Griffiths, with last year’s winner, Darrel Bristow Bovey, centre.

readings of finalists taking place from September 17 to 20.

Darrel Bristow-Bovey, winner of last year’s SCrIBE competition, will have his play, Priest with Balloons, presented by the Imbewu Trust at a theatre in Cape Town in September.

Fellow 2017 finalist Juliette Rose-Innes presents her play, Gardening and Other

Distractions, directed by Kimberley Buckle, herself a 2015 SCrIBE finalist and winner of the Scribblers Dream, which provides the opportunity to be partnered with a mentor to develop her writing style and technique.

Another former winner, Nokuzola Bikwana, had her play, No Christmas for Us staged at the 2017 Zabalaza Festival at the Baxter Theatre Centre, directed by Thami Mbongo. The Imbewu Trust also provided support for the run of the other 2016 winner, Milton Schorr’s The Heroin

Diaries, at Alexander Bar, directed by Fred Abrahamse.

● Information and the entry form are available at www.imbewuarts.com. To receive the entry form via e-mail, e-mail imbewusa@gmail.com.