The Festival was launched last year by TUT's Department of Entertainment Technology, in partnership with the City of Tshwane and DWR Distribution, to expand the boundaries of theatre by interacting with local and emerging artists. The festival is a community theatre development programme where students of the Department and community theatre groups exchange knowledge and skills.
Interactive sessions, workshops and masterclasses will be held in Mamelodi's Beer Hall and at the Breytenbach Theatre in Sunnyside. The festival will open in the Mamelodi West Community Hall (19 - 22 August) with a final run at the Breytenbach Theatre (26 - 29 August). It will showcase a variety of interactive art installations and performances from participating community theatre groups and artists, endorsing the Festival's motto, For and by the community.
This year sees the launch of the Hello Tshwane FM Hip-Hop/House Dance Battles in Mamelodi and Sunnyside, which is set to be one of the biggest events of this kind in the City. The two events will be held at the Solomon Mahlangu Square in Mamelodi and at the Breytenbach Theatre and will explore the raw talent that the City holds.
As a grand finale, the Hello Community Theatre Awards will take place at the Breytenbach Theatre on 29 August. In 2014, awards were made in only three categories, namely Best Production, Best Actress and Best Actor. This year, more categories will be introduced to accommodate the growing and upcoming theatre practitioners.
(Jim Evans)
