The annual Community Theatre Festival will be on at the Market Theatre's Laboratory

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Market kicks off Community Theatre Festival After scouring the country for deserving productions, the Market Theatre presents its annual Community Theatre Festival, now in its fifteenth year. May 24, 2006 By Thabang Mokoka THE annual Community Theatre Festival is again taking place at the Market Theatre Laboratory, from Sunday, 28 May to Sunday, 4 June. Now in its fifteenth year, the week-long festival presents 50 plays from across South Africa. It provides a space for indigenous South African works to be staged and is regarded as one of the most celebrated theatrical events in the country. According to a theatre press release, the festival has entrenched itself as the biggest and most important theatre festival in South Africa for emerging writers, directors and performers. "Our field workers went to all nine provinces and assisted groups in their productions, and then nominated those they felt were competent enough to take part in the festival," say Monde Mayephu, the festival co-ordinator. Of these groups, 10 will be chosen for the annual Zwakala Festival, which takes place in October, again at the Market Laboratory. Of those, a winner is chosen and is given a full run at a Market theatre. Last year's winner was Coal Yard, from Qwa-Qwa, which went on to be staged at the Market's Laager Theatre. Barney Simon, who wanted to create a platform for new and original voices, and to ensure that work and artists from grassroots level were developed and nurtured, founded the Market Theatre Laboratory in October 1989. Its main objective is to provide drama education that is committed to indigenous and innovative theatre, by identifying and developing young acting, directing and writing talent. Through this it aims to foster job creation in the performing arts and to interest new audiences in theatre. Entrance to the festival, which has been made possible by the Swedish-South Africa Culture Fund and the National Lottery, is free. It runs everyday from 9am to 7pm. The Market Theatre Laboratory is at 50 Margaret Mcingana Street, Newtown, Johannesburg. For more information, contact Monde Mayephu on 011 836 0516 or 083 336 5442. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za