Inner-City Schools Festival opens at the Hillbrow Theatre
Hillbrow – 'We urge artists and theatre makers to show up in their numbers during the festival'.
The Hillbrow Theatre opened its 13th annual Inner City High Schools Drama Festival on 1 September and the artistic community continues to show support.
The festival is part of Arts Alive, Joburg International Arts Festival and is presented in partnership with the Department of Arts and Culture and the City of Joburg.
It is also supported by the Rand Merchant Bank, the Market Theatre, Bread for the World, Assitej South Africa, Hillbrow Radio and Exclusive Books.
Gerard Bester, Hillbrow Theatre’s director, told North Eastern Tribune that the festival is emotionally healing for them, following their ‘shockwave’ with the recent shooting incident, when a gunman allegedly shot and killed one person and injured several others during a music concert at the theatre recently. The matter is in the hands of the police.
Read: Security jacked up after shooting horror at Hillbrow Theatre
Bester said during the opening of the festival, their funders, as well as various renowned artists, attended the festival to show support.
“It’s been a very interesting episode for our theatre and we have really received much support from the artists, including the producers,” said Bester.
“Many have said the Hillbrow Theatre plays a huge role in bringing together people from various walks of life including those from our neighbouring countries.”
Bester added that moving forward, local producers will collaborate extensively with some Zimbabwean producers on creating future shows.
Ismail Mahomed, CEO of the Market Theatre Foundation said through its strategic and socially connected programming, the Inner-City Schools Festival and the Hillbrow Theatre has won the confidence of thousands, including schoolchildren.
As the Hillbrow Theatre and its team forge ahead with plans for the 13th annual festival, Mahomed calls on the arts sector to show them support by attending the festival.
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“They need to let them know that we stand behind them in their efforts to let the Hillbrow Theatre be an oasis of hope, learning and upliftment,” said Mahomed.
Tamara Guhrs, a member of the artistic community said, “This event, devastating as it was, must not become the thing that defines Hillbrow Theatre. The project has done so much to create unity for the children of the inner city. Teenagers have an outlet to deal with issues of xenophobia, crime drugs and alcohol use.”
Guhrs said this is what it must become known for, adding that if people support the festival, this is what they will see.
Details: Hillbrow Theatre 011 720 7011.
