New Drama Company in 2018!
Windybrow Arts Centre and Market Theatre Laboratory join forces to support young graduates
In an exciting new initiative, the Windybrow Arts Centre and the Market Theatre Laboratory will launch a new drama company in 2018 to support the careers of alumni from the Market Theatre Laboratory and to provide drama classes for youth at the Windybrow Arts Centre. The company with six talented young graduates four graduates of the Market Theatre Laboratory and two trained theatre-makers from other institutions and contexts will serve as a bridge between the graduates’ education and their professional careers by providing them an internship for one year and the opportunity to gain professional work experience and the space to learn and practice business skills.
The Company will build a varied repertory of theatre work to tour and perform throughout the year, guided by a specific brief and calendar which will include an age-specific production to tour to schools, a site specific experimental production, an international or local collaborative project and a new piece of South African theatre. The six young artists will be guided to drive the company as an income-generating business unit by producing work with low budgets, but which has high visibility and does not compromise on artistic excellence.
Supported by the team at the Market Theatre Foundation the six actors will tour small educational theatre programmes to schools, seek out corporate and industrial theatre opportunities and organise and facilitate performing arts training programmes for young people at the Windybrow Arts Centre including drama and movement classes for various age groups. The company members will participate in ongoing training programmes, including daily physical and vocal morning classes, and block periods engaging with theatre and administration skills. The company members will share skills between them that will enable them to make and perform their own work.
Six excellent performers and facilitators will be selected to form a company with a diverse range of skills which will include writing/dramaturgy, directing, design, stage-management and choreography. The company members will be placed on a ten-month internship contract from February to November 2018, with the possibility of renewal by mutual agreement. The interns will be paid a stipend of R7000 per month and will be appointed to work an 8 hour a day shift, with start times dependent on scheduling. The interns will also be required to assist with other Windybrow Arts Centre and Market Theatre Laboratory projects when necessary. This includes playing a mentorship role for students and recent graduates.
The interns should have completed their training in the performing arts at a reputable organisation within the last five years (in other words, have four years or less professional experience). The interns must be excellent, hard-working and multi-skilled performers, and be able to offer other theatre-making skills. The internship is a fulltime programme from February to November in 2018.
Applicants who are interested in applying for the pilot programme can submit their CV and a motivation letter (that clearly states the skills, knowledge and other attributes that they would be able to contribute to the company) via email to Clara Vaughan at clara@marketlab.co.za by 17:00 on Friday 1 December 2017. Shortlisted applicants will be called for an audition in January. Final decisions will be made by Friday 19 January 2018. The Company will commence operating as from Thursday 1 February 2018.
For further information and interviews please contact:
Lusanda Zokufa – Senior Publicist Market Theatre Foundation
011 832 1641 ext 202 or 072 367 7867
lusandaz@markettheatre.co.za
