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    SANCTA 31st One - Act festival -standards raised metres

    The adjudicators said the standards bar of the Sancta 31st One - Act festival held in Secunda last week was raised not by centimetres but by metres.

    The Sancta 31st Annual One - Act Play festival held last week at The Johannes Stegman Theatre in Secunda, Mpumalanga was one of the best and most successful held in many years.
    13 Plays were presented - 7 from Mpumalanga, 5 from Gauteng and 1 from KZN - Pietermaritzburg.

    Last year, the festival had the "Wow" factor. This year, from the first night, the adjudicators - Hazel Bilsland - Brown, Renos Spanoudes and Ntshieng Mokgoro stated that the bar of standard of performance had been lifted - not centimeters, but by metres, especially over the last two years. So, Sancta's courses and mentoring process - the plays were mentored 3 times over the last three months by Michael Maxwell, Tallowah Suntsha, Jaques de Silva and Mongi Mthombeni in GP and Mpumalanga, all under the guidance of our Patroness Dorothy Gould, and by Chris Voysey In Pmbg - as well as the fact that all the plays went through festivals- Sancta Mini in Secunda; Edenvale Acting and Drama Society and Crawford Schools festivals in GP, where they were adjudicated - all have played a big part in raising the standards tremendously.

    At the Final Night Gala Award Ceremony, each adjudicator concentrated on different aspects - Ntshieng on the talent, commitment and high standards; Hazel on the growth of the groups and individuals over the last few years; Renos on the unbelievable range of productions all with important messages and current issues especially for the youth - from betrayal, suicide; rape, murder, sexuality; corruption; disability, pre and post Apartheid - to mention a few, as well as the styles and genre of theatre- Brecht and Theatre of the Absurd; mime; protest; Fugard.
    One message was very clear - all these plays should be seen far and wide with their messages and spread wings and fly

    In his speech on Saturday night, Noel Mc Donald, the Sancta National Chair acknowleged the VIPS, apologies and most importantly expressed Sancta's appreciation to the main sponsor - The Mpumalanga Provincial Government- Department of Culture, Recreation, Sport. Their sponsorship will run till March 2012 and Sancta will run many workshops and courses in different areas of Mpumalanga with this. Sasol Secunda, that paid for the prize money, transport for the groups, hotel accommodation for Sancta and cocktail party; and Samro - Endowment for the Arts, who since 2000 have kindly sponsored the quality adjudicators we have had for many years. We express our deepest gratitude to these sponsors that have faith in Sancta.

    The Acting Head of Sasol Secunda, Corporate Social Investment, Mr Isaac Modise gave a stirring speech, thanking Sancta for all they do in the Govan Mbeki Region to promote the arts, develop the talent and audiences. He also called upon the top plays that received prize monies totalling R40000.00 to use the money wisely to develop their groups and also said as many of the plays had messages incorporating values, the players must respect and act upon those values and carry them into the community especially remembering Nelson Mandela's 93rd birthday. They have also given us a 2nd grant to run specifically Play writing / Script development and Directors' Workshops.

    Noel thanked the adjudicators for a sterling job, traveling almost daily to Secunda; Henning Botha - our Secunda Rep; Digimag who videod The Final Night at short notice; Ori van der Walt who prepared hundreds of certificates and Barry Neuwerth, our festival Stage Manager who spent two weeks doing technical rehearsals and the festival week and also traveling daily from Jhb and printing the cerrificates; The staff - Admin, FOH and technical - of the Johannes Stegman Theatre.

    Before commencing the Award Ceremony, it was announced that as the standard had been so high and the decision - making process so hard there were 5 new trophies (upped by three last year) and 6 merit certificates and trophies. Nominations amounted to 82. In addition, The adjudicators requested Sancta to allow a 4th play to perform on Final Night.

    The awards are as follows:
    5 Special Merit awards
    a. Most committed extra in a cast - Simpiwe Kunene- The Tuck Shop Boy- Umbalali The Killer - Siyonqoba Performing Arts
    b. The group with the most spirit - Detained - Waterfront Theatre Club, Secunda
    c. Best Comic Duo - Katleho "Max" Moticoe as Stanilov and Motheo Brodie as Boris- Fifteen Minutes Minimum - Dreamworkz, under the auspices of Randfontein High School
    d. Best Newcomer - Junior Takalani as Junior - We are who we are - Hillbrow Theatre Project
    e. Commendable Effort - Xenophobia - Heros - Amaqhawe. - Kinross
    f. Most Promising Production - We are what we are - Hillbrow Theatre Project

    Awards :

    1. 2nd adjudicators Special Merit Award - Richard Whitby Trophy - for Stage Presence and Promise- Mthandazo Khumalo - Malvin - Hillbrow Theatre Project
    2. Adjudicators and Sancta Special Award- The Adam Leslie Rose Bowl - Hazel Bilsland - Brown - "for adjudication expertise in all genre and styles and constant support to Sancta"

    3. Best Foyer Display Gay and Lesbian Theatre Group - Pietermaritzburg KZN
    4. Backstage Technical Excellen ce Simple Hard - Duduza Serenade for Youth Development - Nigel
    5. Best Set Chapter Six ½ - Theatre Lions - Embalenhle, Mpumalanga
    6. Best New SA Script Unchained - Dreamworkz - Randfontein
    7. Best Cameo Performance
    a. New Award - Runner - Up Andile Mngeni - Mathousand - Chapter 6 ½. Embalenhle
    b. Winner Ntsikelelo Ngqoqu- Mr Vernon - Detained - Waterfront Theatre Group, Secunda
    8. Best Novice
    a. New Award- Director Nomakhosi Sebigi - Fifteen Minutes Minimum - Dreamworkz- Randfontein
    b. Production Chapter 6/12- Theatre Lions- Embalenhle
    9.Best Ensemble Umbalali the Killer - Siyonqoba Performing Arts, Embalenhle
    10. Theatrical Excellence Fifteen Minutes Minimum - Dreamworkz- Randfontein
    11.Best Costumes Perfect Problem - Laduma Artists - Embalenhle
    12. Best Sound and Lighting Unchained - Dreamworkz - Randfontein
    13. Best Choral Simple Hard - Duduza Serenade Youth Development -
    Nigel
    14. Best Actress in a Supporting Role
    a. New Award - Runner - Up Dimpho Mnisi - Keisha - Unchained - Dreamworkz, Randfontein
    b. Winner Precious Jiyane - Shortiekie - Chapter 6 ½ - Theatre Lions - Embalenhle
    15. Best Actor in a Supporting Role
    a. New Award - Runner - Up Thabo Pholo - Lizo - Simple Hard - Duduza Serenade for Youth Development - Nigel
    b. Winner Aubrey Ndlanganandla - Makafula and other characters-
    Changing Faces - Izazi Zaze- Embalenhle
    16. Best Actress in a Leading Role
    a. Runner up Molebogeng Phiri - Dikeledi - Unchained - Dreamworkz, Randfontein
    b. Winner Mandisa Mgeyi - Popiekie - Chapter 6 ½ - Theatre Lions - Embalenhle
    17. Best Actor in a Leading Role
    a. Runner - Up Chris Harrison - Bender - Detained - The Waterfront Theatre Group, Secunda
    b. Winner Sinenahlanalha Mugeyi - Gogo Irene (female role) - Perfect Problem - Laduma Artists, Embalenhli
    18. Best Director Howard Dladla - Perfect Problem - Laduma Artists. Embalenhle

    19. 3rd Runner - Up to Best Production Something in between - Gay and Lesbian Theatre Group - Pmbg, Kzn
    20. 2nd Runner - Up to Best Production Umbalali The Killer - Siyonqoba Performing Arts, Embalenhle
    21 .1st Runner - Up to Best Production Fifteen Minutes Minimum- Dreamworkz, Randfontein
    22. Best Overall Production Perfect Problem - Laduma Artists - Embalenhle

    After the ceremony, Noel congratulated all participants, whether nominated, winners or
    not, saying how much hard work, time, dedication and guts it takes to prepare and perform in
    front of an audience. He then handed out gifts to various people.

    Hazel then closed the ceremony with a thank you to Noel who has been involved with Sancta for 17 years and been at the helm for 11 of those, steering the ship to its 31st festival

    For any information on Sancta and its various activities, contact Noel Mc Donald 0833094315, visit our website - www. Sanata.org.za or become a friend on facebook. Sancta has branches in GP, Mpumalanga, KZN and CT. Our website is run and managed by old friend and supporter, TJ De Klerk of Artslink, with extra assistance from Gerry Cochran to us.



    SANCTA- 2010 NEW SA PLAYWRITING COMPETITION As part of the 30th Sancta Annual 2010 one act-play festival, Sancta is sponsoring a new one-act play writing competition for the 10th consecutive year. The criteria are:
    • The play must be in English or Afrikaans - regretfully, due to adjudication restrictions, other languages cannot be entertained, though short sentences/phrases in other languages are permissible.
    • It is only open to non-professional writers. If you have had works published or performed previously, full details thereof must be provided.
    • The play must perform for a period of between 30-50 minutes and have a minimum of three speaking characters. A synopsis of the setting and characters must be given together with as much stage direction as possible.
    • The script must be typed (in double line spacing preferably). SANCTA reserves the right to make copies of the script, for possible later use (with the author's permission) though you can make arrangements for the original to be returned to you.
    • The entry fee is R250.00 per script payable upon submission of the script to SANCTA or deposit into our bank account-SANCTA-Std Bank Rivonia Branch, acc 022999124, Code 001255.
    • The closing date is 30th May 2010. No correspondence will be entered into regarding the winning choices.
    Entries to be posted to: Noel McDonald, PO Box 659, Allensnek 1737 or contact Noel McDonald for further information on Tel: 011 4653584 (W)/ 0833094315 (c)/0866733193 fax.

    As part of the winning prize, if feasible, the play will be done as an enacted play reading during the performance weeks of "SANCTA 30th Festival". It will however be entered into next years festival, if a suitable group can be found to perform it.

    The total prize money will be R1000 and will be allocated at SANCTA'S discretion between 1 - 3 prizes.

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