Ubom!, a non-profit organisation run by Rhodes drama lecturer Janet Buckland (and largely supported and sponsored by Rhodes), doesn’t only spend all year creating amazing award-winning works of theatre. They also put a lot of time and effort into training and nurturing the future theatre makers of South Africa.
Throughout the year workshops are run with local community artists, directors and actors. As the year draws to a close these workshops culminate in a drama festival that will take place on Friday 29 October 2010 at the Rhodes Main theatre.
Over the past seven years this festival has grown from strength to strength. Now in its eighth year, the Makana Drama Development Festival (MDDF) is set to astound and entertain all audience members. And with a competition for the esteemed titles of Best Director, Best Production, and Best Script (to name a few) the talent is hotter than ever. Winning groups have the highly coveted chance of appearing at the National Arts Festival (NAF).
In 2010, ‘Grahamstown Pantsula’ was selected to participate in the Remix Laboratory programme at the NAF. This programme seeks to further their skills and talents, and push them to eventually partake in the NAF Fringe festival.
Talent scouting is what Janet Buckland does best, and it was at the 2005 MDDF where Sisonke Yafele was spotted. He immediately caught Buckland’s eye with his stage presence and easy performance style. In 2006 he was auditioned to be part of the Ubom! Obutsha company which toured the Eastern Cape with Buckland’s work ‘Kiss My Boot’.
In 2007 Yafele was invited to audition as a full-time professional actor. He was successful and has been with Ubom! ever since, thanks to his appearance at MDDF. It is Ubom!’s dream that the future John Kani and Bulelani Ngcuka emerge from the MDDF.
Pic: Xolela Tsili in the Makana Drama Development Festival 2009.
29 October 2010
Junior Festival: 15h00-17h00
Senior Festival: 19h00-22h00
ENTRANCE IS FREE!