Contributor: Sheila van Flemmering, Beneficiaries Administrator at HCI Foundation
The Zabalaza Festival is an annual event held every year in mid-March at the Baxter Theatre in Rondebosch, Cape Town. It draws a diverse audience, with both young and older attendees coming together to experience the vibrant performances. Celebrating its 15th anniversary, it has produced many award-winning shows. This year, the excitement was mounted with chit-chat and laughter among youngsters feeling the vibe before the start of each show.
The theme for this year was “Past, Present, and Future”. Fifteen (15) local theatre makers were invited to create new, local productions, of whom 7 were previous winners. The “Past” paid tribute to former participants, winners, and theatre makers who have served as mentors and facilitators within Zabalaza. The “Present” featured artists who have been involved with the festival over the past eight years, while the “Future” highlighted individuals selected based on ongoing observations of the local theatre scene, with attention given to productions, festivals, reviews, and public commentary.
Participants were encouraged to bring their community stories to the stage and in indigenous languages, thus fostering a sense of community engagement and pride as individuals come together to celebrate local talent and cultural diversity. All the plays that were performed during the festival mirrored our everyday realities as communities. The Salt Lesson, intriguing and complex, also the opening act at the Zabalaza Festival, received a standing ovation.
As the Foundation we are a proud supporter of the Zabalaza Festival, whereby together with Golden Arrow Bus Services we transported audience members young and old to the Baxter Theatre from the periphery of Cape Town. Transport provision ensures that all people from marginalised communities exercise their right to freedom of movement. Furthermore, without transport, the theatre will remain inaccessible to those who do not have financial resources. These experiences open a new world of possibilities for many that get to experience the theatre magic.
This year, 10 143 audience members attended the festival. Four thousand one hundred and seven were school learners of 21 schools in the Cape Metropolitan areas, 521 were members of the community organisations, and 60 senior citizens from disadvantaged areas were transported by Golden Arrow Bus Services to attend the festival. One hundred and six (106) theatre practitioners and 99 staff members from the Baxter Theatre made this festival possible.
Congratulations to all the winners and nominees of the 15th annual Baxter Zabalaza Theatre Festival. We encourage other stakeholders to support this great initiative that ensures that talent is given an opportunity to shine.
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A huge thank you to Sheila for sharing her perspective on the Zabalaza Festival 2025.
Stay tuned for more stories from #VoicesofHCIF.
With gratitude,
The HCI Foundation Team
