Gasebalwe Seretse
18 March 2008
Twenty-four Maruapula IGCSE students, set to perform at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, South Africa have appealed to the diplomatic and corporate community to fund their trip.
The students have a once in a lifetime opportunity of performing four stage plays namely 'Romeo and Juliet'; 'Kgosi the Moon and the Baboon'; 'Have you seen Zandile'; and 'My Father's Hat, My Mother's Shoes' at the international festival but they have not yet secured sponsorship. Their fundraiser, Jerry Kai-Lewis said the Maruapula students need about P50, 000 to realise their dream of attending the event.
"For the Maruapula drama students who have set their sights on going overseas to pursue higher education in the arts, the Grahamstown festival is the gateway into the world of arts," asserts Kai-Lewis.
He says that among the actors, there are a few students from underprivileged backgrounds.
He says those who support the students will get a special mention at the opening of the Maitisong festival, billed for April 4, where the drama group will perform. The Maitisong festival will precede the Grahamstown event, which will be held between June 25 and July 1."If there are people out there who are willing to sponsor this endeavor, they should do so before June 15 so that we get ample time to prepare for the trip," says Kai-Lewis.He says the annual Grahamstown festival is the biggest and most vibrant celebration of South Africa's rich and diverse culture. The quaint Eastern Cape city is transformed into South Africa's creative crucible and for 11 days in July it is the place to be. From theatre to dance, opera to cabaret, fine art to craft, classic music to jazz, poetry readings to lectures, every art form imaginable is represented in one of the most diverse international festivals.
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