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ARTISTS SAY NO TO CRIME

YOUNG artists in North West are gearing up for the 2010 edition of the popular Stop Crime Drama Festival in Mmabatho, Mafikeng, in March.

YOUNG artists in North West are gearing up for the 2010 edition of the popular Stop Crime Drama Festival in Mmabatho, Mafikeng, in March.

The festival's nation-building partners are the North West sports, arts and culture department, Absa Foundation, Business Arts SA, Sowetan and the Aggrey Klaaste Nation Building Foundation.

It features participating youngsters staging anti-crime theme plays that they direct, act in, operate the lighting for and even handle their own stage management chores.

This is to give them the space and time to express their views on the futility and folly of crime through music, drama, dance, poetry and prose.

But, long before the performances, the groups will be invited to auditions that will take place in Potchefstroom on February 18 at 2pm, Taung on February 19 at 2pm, Mmabatho on February 20 at 11am and Rustenburg on February 21 at 10am.

Martin Koboekae and Julian Seleke Mokoto of Dramatists Against Crime launched the festival more than 10 years ago.

The two established playwrights, directors and actors act as mentors and coaches to the novices. They are also charged with refining the qualifying entries and motivating the novices.

Other professional actors present their work as guest acts. All the professionals play a bigger role, ensuring that the young actors' talents are noticed. A significant nation-building gesture is the community anti-crime protest march that precedes the three-day festival.

It will be led by the local SA Police Service brass band and other personnel.

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