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Scriptwriting competition is launched in Cape Town in honour of legendary writer and poet Adam Small

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Finalists in a scriptwriting contest that pays homage to the contributions of legendary South African writer and poet, Adam Small, were recently announced in Cape Town.


PHOTO CAPTION:
(BACK L-R): Chase Rhys and Denver Breda.
(FRONT L-R): Hennie van Greunen (judge and mentor), Mandla Mbothwe (judge and mentor), Anele Kose and Gregory Joseph
PHOTO CREDIT: 4Eva Productions

This competition, named the Adam and Rosalie Small Award for Debutant/Debutante Writers, was launched last year in honour of the late Adam Small and his wife Rosalie for their contributions to South African literature, philosophy, education, and advocacy against social injustice.

Aspirant writers had to focus their scripts on South African themes that support diversity in language, race, culture, age, gender and sexual orientation, themes which celebrate inclusivity and social cohesion.

Adam Small, widely known for his activism in the struggle against apartheid, penned amongst others, Kanna Hy Kô Hystoe, Krismis Van Map Jacobs, District Six and Klawerjas and Kô lat ons sing.

The winner of the unpublished script will be offered once-off assistance by Distell to bring their work to the stage in the Western Cape. All scripts had to be submitted under a pseudonym and were judged based on the criteria, quality and storyline. Out of the twenty entries four finalists were chosen by a judging panel that consists of directors, poets, writers and academics.

The finalists for the Adam and Rosalie Small Award for Debutant/Debutante Writers scriptwriting competition are:

  • Anele Kose who is a 32 aspiring writer, poet and actor who lives in Delft, Cape Town.
  • Twenty eight year old writer, Chase Rhys, who is a writer and performance artist from Ocean View, Slangkop.
  • Johannesburg born, Gregory Joseph who relocated to Cape Town in 1986. He owns his own business but regards writing as his true calling.
  • Denver Breda who is a passionate Capetonian scriptwriter and theatre maker and currently resides in Lavender Hill.
  • Hennie van Greunen and Mandla Mbothwe are leading a mentoring process with the finalists. Thereafter the judging panel will revisit the scripts and a winner will be announced on 18 September 2017.

The judging panel for this competition includes: Diana Ferrus, Hennie van Greunen, Mandla Mbothwe, Dr Mohammed Cassiem Dharsey, Steward van Wyk and Thembi Mtshali Jones.

Hennie and Mandla are leading a mentoring process with the selected finalists of this year’s competition. Playwrights aren’t just left to their own devices, but the mentors revise and edit the scripts with the finalists to get the best possible version of each story and it is this version that is send to the judges in order to determine the final winner.

Hennie van Greunen, a panel member and co-owner of Wordsmith’s Theatre Factory, says what he really loves about the Adam and Rosalie competition is that it is, “, as the late Adam Small’s work has always been, all about inclusivity, truth and tolerance.”

According to Mandla Mbothwe, also a panel member, writer, professional director and teacher, by using the work of the late Adam Small, they are determined to look at certain languages in theatrical performances, both in spoken and in theatrical metaphors that remain side-lined.

“Through this program we will strive to unmute and restore the confidence of underrated artist and marginalised stories both in aesthetics, content and in spoken language.”

The winner will be announced on the 18 September 2017.

DISTELL
Distell, one of South Africa’s premier producers of fine wines, spirits and ready to drink alcoholic beverages, has actively been supporting CSI (Corporate Social Investment) projects in communities where they have a business interest. Support is given through Distell, by focusing on the development of the creative arts sector, especially emerging talent in the performing and visual arts. Currently a focus area is the support of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) prevention initiatives as well as youth development programmes which lead to individuals making healthy choices in life. Remedial art therapy programmes are also supported to assist vulnerable individuals who are affected by alcohol misuse, please visit www.distell.co.za.

ABOUT ADAM SMALL
Adam Small (21/12/1936 – 25/06/2016) is treasured for his works highlighting the oppression of people under apartheid. The late Adam Small was born in Wellington in the Boland, Western Cape, and Rosalie Small on 12 October 1947 in Cape Town. Adam graduated from the University of Cape Town with a degree in Language and Philosophy, going on to receive his MA (cum laude) on the relatedness of the philosophies of Nicolai Hartmann and Friedrich Nietzsche.

Adam and Rosalie Small were known as a dynamic team and have made a formidable contribution to South African literature, education, philosophy, and advocacy against social injustice. They met when Rosalie was enrolled at UWC as a philosophy student in the early 1960s, and they were married in 1969. Rosalie went on to become a teacher in Philosophy, English and History, and obtained a PhD in Education, oriented to Philosophy of Education.

Adam emphasized the absolute importance and significance of individuality for his work and person: his insistence on never marching with “the crowd” – and his firm belief in goodness among people, also our youth.

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