High school students from various urban and rural communities will once again have an opportunity to showcase their acting talents in the Plan High School Drama Competition, courtesy of Plan International, which will take place at this year’s Intwasa Arts Festival in Bulawayo next month.
In line with its objective of creating space for children to tell their own stories through drama and theatre performances, Plan International will be supporting the High School Drama Competition for the second time.
The competition is open to all secondary and high schools in urban and rural communities and participating schools are expected to come up with performances that support Plan’s global campaign called Because I Am A Girl (BIAAG).
“The competition challenges secondary school children to reflect on their societies, identify challenges and opportunities for children, especially girls, and package the ideas in a spellbinding manner for the different audiences to appreciate the talents inherent in children, but also transmit messages of hope,” said Plan Zimbabwe’s Bulawayo programme unit manager, Tsungai Mahumucha. She said the competition presented an opportunity for children to develop their acting talents while sending out advocacy messages which improved the lives of all children.
Gertrude Ndlovu, Plan Bulawayo’s child rights co-ordinator, said the main theme for the high school competition was meant to allow students to conceptualise ideas that would act as voices of the girl child who may not have an opportunity to be heard.
The BIAAG’s sub-theme for the competition is girls’ rights and opportunities for education.
Ndlovu added that the presentations were expected to explore challenges and opportunities for the girl child both at home and school as she pursues her educational needs and dreams.
“The idea is to challenge young people to tell their own stories through their own eyes and to be part of the global discourse on gender equity,” she said.
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Participating schools are expected to create 20-minute plays focusing on the theme. Preliminary rounds will be held from this month to August with the finalist from each pool performing during the Intwasa Arts Festival under the theme “Blooming”.
Prizes will be awarded under the following categories: (a) Most Outstanding Play (1st prize) (b) Runner-up (2nd prize) (c) Second runner-up (3rd prize) Individual prizes: (a) Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor (b) Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress (c) Best Cameo Role and Best Director
Every year the competition focuses on a particular child-related theme.
“The competition offers space for children to bloom as we expect some to take up acting as a profession,” added Ndlovu.
