FEDA expands to KwaZulu-Natal with support from DWR

Young theatre makers in KwaZulu-Natal have been given a new platform to develop both performance and technical production skills as the Festival of Excellence in Dramatic Arts (FEDA) expanded beyond Johannesburg for the first time. As part of the inaugural KZN festival, DWR Distribution’s Michael Taylor-Broderick was invited to present a technical workshop.

Founded by Janet Baylis in 2004, FEDA gives high school students an opportunity to write, perform and produce their own theatrical work. The festival made its KwaZulu-Natal debut this year and is set to expand to Cape Town next year.

The inaugural KZN interschools FEDA One Act Play Festival brought together young actors, playwrights and backstage teams, with each production running between 15 and 30 minutes. Entries were adjudicated by professionals from the theatre, television and education sectors alongside FEDA alumni. Baylis adjudicated 64 productions in Johannesburg and a further 11 in KZN this year.

“Every year I'm amazed by the bravery and resilience of young people in telling their stories,” said Baylis. “They remind us of who we once were and why their voices are more important than ours. These are the future theatre makers of tomorrow. It's an honour and a privilege to witness their work.”

Technical theatre formed part of the KZN programme, with Taylor-Broderick invited to present a workshop showing students that what happens behind the scenes is just as important as what happens on stage. DWR also donated a grandMA3 onPC DMX-key as the prize for winning school Kearsney College. Used with the free grandMA3 onPC software, the USB-C device unlocks 4,096 parameters, providing the students with access to professional lighting control without requiring a dedicated console.

“The prize DWR has given us is way beyond anything we are given in Johannesburg,” commented Baylis. “It's incredibly generous and will enhance the winning school's future theatre productions.”

Baylis highlighted the broader skills developed through the festival, including collaboration, creativity, managing people and meeting deadlines, with previous FEDA participants subsequently progressing to institutions including NYU, Yale and Harvard.