Drama festival for the young

The time has finally come for the long-awaited Makana Drama Development Festival.

Now in its 13th year, the festival aims to provide Eastern Cape performers and directors with a performance platform where artists can share their work with others and obtain further experience.

Ubom! strives to see young, up-and-coming theatre practitioners hone their craft and works toward a thriving Eastern Cape Arts industry to rival that of the bigger cities.

The excitement has been building since the beginning of the year, when the Vuka Workshop leaders started working with the children at schools in Grahamstown.

These workshop leaders have also received immense training at the Rhodes Drama Department through workshops hosted by Phemelo Hellemann, a Masters student in Applied Theatre.

The Vuka Workshop leaders are also well respected artists in their own right, with numerous awards under their names. This year they won the National Arts Festival Standing Ovation award for Falling Off the Horn. This year the festival will showcase 16 groups, seven junior and nine senior.

Two groups from Correctional services will be performing, as well as local theatre groups such as Sakhuluntu Cultural Group and Vukani Kusile

The MDDF will take place at the Rhodes Main Theatre tomorrow, with the junior groups competing from 11am-1pm and the senior groups from 2pm-4.30pm, entry free.

Contact Ncebakazi 046 603 8771 (afternoons only), n.ntsokota@ru.ac.za