Taking theatre to the kids
- Wits University
Drama for Life unveiled the world of theatre to children and young people at the 19th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival in Cape Town.
The Wits Drama for Life, brought theatre to life last week when they co-hosted the Cradle of Creativity - the 19th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival in Cape Town.
The Congress, which was held on the African soil for the first time, attracted delegates from more than 100 countries from across the world, all focusing on what the Africa has to offer in terms of research and theatre for young audiences.”
The International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People (ASSITEJ) is dedicated to ensuring that every child everywhere is able to encounter opportunities for dreaming through the live performing arts.
Unveiling the world of theatre to young people, Drama for Life (DFL) profiled their ground-breaking methodologies designed for theatre for children and youth through an array of captivating seminar presentations, workshops and performances.
As a global leader in an interdisciplinary and integrated approach to arts for social transformation and healing, DFL visited the Vrygrond, Langa and Phillipi communities in Cape Town where they held focus groups to restore dignity, respect and self-worth among young people using various forms of theatre such as, Theatre and Storytelling, Theatre for Social Change, Theatre for Healing and Theatre by Children for Children.
DFL remains committed to enhancing dialogue for purposes of social transformation and healing through arts-based research, teaching and learning, and community engagement.
In an effort to take theatre to children, performances such as Mainane! (directed by Director of Drama for Life, Warren Nebe), Space Rocks (directed Craig Morris) and Instagrammar (directed by Lecturer and Drama for Life Theatre Company Director, Hamish Neill ), produced in partnership with the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project were showcased to children at Cape Town schools.
The Congress set the foundation for future international collaborations. The 19th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival highlighted Wits’ contribution to the arts.
Drama for Life acknowledged the sponsorship of the National Lotteries Commission, Department of Arts and Culture, National Arts Council, City of Cape Town, National Research Foundation and Rand Merchant Bank.