THE preliminary round of the National Drama Festival 2015, a collaboration between the Ministry of Education, Department of Culture, Youth & Sport and Digicel Guyana has begun. Thirty-eight plays will jostle for the finals set to be launched on November 20.This year’s festival will see a mixture of the experienced with the likes of Francis Quamina Farrier, award winners Colleen Humphrey, Kijana Lewis, Sheron Cadogan-Taylor and Mark Kazim, as well as newcomers from across the administrative regions.
Strong competition is expected from theatre groups in Linden, Buxton and Parika as they vie for attractive cash prizes and trophies.
So far, 13 schools from Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 10 are registered to compete in their finals to be held at the Theatre Guild from November 23-27.
This year’s festival has $6 million up for grabs in the Open, Open Short or One Act, Junior, Debutante and Secondary Schools categories. Prizes will be awarded for best production, best new Guyanese play, best director, best costume, best set, best use of lights, best use of sound, best performing cast, best actor, best actress and best-performing cast, among others.
The official opening ceremony is scheduled for the National Cultural Centre on November 20 at 19:00 hrs. The finals, which will be held at the National Cultural Centre is free to the public.