Victor Mecoamere

Victor Mecoamere

Top stars came out to play with children and inspire emerging talent during the 2008 Stop Crime Drama Festival in Mafikeng, North West, recently.

Among these stars were Presley Chweneyagae and Terry Phetoe of Tsotsi fame; Seputla Sebogodi of Generations, Carol Selepe, Phumlani Didi and Mpho Molepo of Zone 14, among others.

Besides running theatre development workshops during the festival, which ran over three days at the end of march, some of these stars - including Didi, Monde Mayephu, Dieketseng Mnisi and Kere Nyawo - also helped to improve the standard of amateur productions.

This, the 11th annual North West Showcase, assumed a higher, more meaningful level, quality and standard, thanks to the nation-building sponsoring and organising partnership of producers from Dramatists Against Crime, the Absa Foundation, North West Sports, Arts and Culture Department; Sowetan and the Aggrey Klaaste Nation Building Foundation, National Arts Council and North West police service. Prizes were given for:

lBest actor, which was shared by Selekedi Kholiwe, Onkgopotse Segaloe and Lesego Tshikang;

lBest script, won by Professor Matlaopane's play Lerato;

lBest director was scooped by Bucks Totwe for The Bees;

lBest production, Thula Thula, by Lucky Kgafela; and

lThe most promising play went to It's Your Choice, by the ZM Seatlholo Theatre Project.

lCheka Daai Ding, by Sakhisizwe Theatre Productions, qualified for a visit to the the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, in June.