Call for applications: 2023 Baxter Zabalaza Theatre Festival in SA

Application forms may be obtained from the Baxter’s reception or the Zabalaza Theatre Festival offices. They are also available at Makukhanye Art Room, Khayelitsha Art School & Rehabilitation Centre, Delft Rent Office, Zolani Centre in Nyanga, Gugu S’thebe in Langa, Kraai 4 Theatre in Kraaifontein, Joseph Stone Auditorium in Athlone and Afrika Tikkun in Mfuleni.

Interested applicants should apply online before 12 July.

Productions that are selected from the applications received will be auditioned from August to October and, if successful, will be invited to participate in the mini festivals, which are planned for November 2022, when the final selection for the 2023 line-up will be made. 

The number of productions chosen for the main festival will be determined by the available funding. Successful applicants will be informed of the result of their applications towards the end of 2022. Preference will be given to productions from the Western Cape and any groups outside of the Western Cape will be invited at the panel’s discretion.

The organisers are looking for all productions, including music, musicals, children’s theatre, puppetry, drama, comedy, physical theatre and storytelling.

Previous participants are welcome to apply should they feel that their work could benefit from further development. However, this only applies if it is a new work not seen before at the festival.

“We would like to encourage scriptwriters to submit their work,” the festival’s artistic director, Mdu Kweyama, said. “This is the perfect platform for fresh talent to be recognised on a larger scale. Those who auditioned before and were not selected to be part of the programme may reapply by auditioning with the same production, provided that they can show that they have worked on improving it.”

Made possible by the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, the Baxter Zabalaza Theatre Festival is widely regarded as one of the premier development platforms in the country. The event has received great acclaim and praise over the years, with many former participants going on to win multiple awards.

For further enquiries or more information, contact Imameleng Masitha on 021 680 3980 or email her at imameleng.masitha@uct.ac.za. 

Find more about the festival here.