YOUNG people will be given a platform to come up with solutions to crime during the annual Stop Crime Drama Festival in Polokwane in May, writes Victor Mecoamere.

The festival will be held over three days - from May 27 - at the Polokwane Library Gardens.

Interested youth drama groups have to participate in auditions to select suitable plays for the festival.

The auditions will be held at the following venues:

• State Theatre in Pretoria on April 28;
• Polokwane Library gardens on April 29;
• Marble Hall Community Hall in Marble Hall on April 29;
• Lenyenye Community Hall in Tzaneen on May 1, and
• Makhado Showgrounds on May 2.

Qualifying productions will be helped by professionals who will make sure that the novice playwrights, directors, actors, stage managers and lighting designers fine-tune their plays.

Produced by non-governmental organisation Dramatists Against Crime, the festival is sponsored by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund and is supported by Sowetan.

This is part of the Aggrey Klaaste Nation Building Foundation's youth development projects.

Founded by playwrights Martin Koboekae and Julian Seleke-Mokoto at the Funda Community Education and Arts Centre in Diepkloof, Soweto, in 1997, this project will give budding theatre people space and time to explore their talents.

The project is aimed at helping participants express their views about the futility and folly of crime and criminality through music, drama, dance, poetry and prose.

For more information phone Jullian Seleke-Mokoto on 082-472-3457 and Martin Koboekae on 082-965-6256.