Seasoned wordsmiths and budding playwrights can now submit their script ideas for this year’s Teksmark.
Teksmark is a KKNK project, presented in collaboration with NATi, the Baxter Theatre Centre and the University of Johannesburg (UJ).
This project is presented at the Baxter Theatre Centre in Cape Town on 29 and 30 August for the ninth time this year, and the second Teksmark Joburg takes place on 24 and 25 October at UJ.
“Since the inception of Teksmark in 2016, 156 scripts have been included as part of the initiative, with 43 script ideas developed into full scale productions, of which various received numerous awards”, says Hugo Theart, CEO and Artistic Director of the KKNK.
Numerous script proposals that have been developed into stage-ready works following Teksmark over the past two years, have been on stage at the KKNK and Suidoosterfees this year and several others will be staged at Innibos and the Vrystaat Arts Festival soon.
According to Theart complete scripts are not required to submit a proposal for Teksmark. “Proposals that include a theme, storyline, short description of the characters and at least five pages of dialogue is sufficient. The proposed script must include text long enough for a performance of at least ten minutes.”
Script ideas in all genres are welcomed. Only proposals by South African citizens will be considered and although multilingual scripts are encouraged, script ideas in all official South African languages are considered.
Only original scripts are considered, and translations or adaptations will not be accepted. It is also important to note that only scripts that have not been performed professionally in the past will be considered.
All proposals submitted before the closing date of Monday 1 July at midnight, are evaluated by an independent panel, after which several scripts are selected to be presented during Teksmark in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Directors and actors are appointed, in conjunction with the playwright and organisers, to perform an excerpt (10 minutes) from the script as play readings to representatives of theatres, festivals, producers, other possible investors and theatre enthusiasts. Playwrights will have an opportunity to discuss their script idea and the audience will engage with questions and comments.
The market is open for anyone interested to negotiate with playwrights about possibly investing in their script for further development.
Script proposals can be submitted online via the KKNK’s website. For more information of any enquiries, contact Lizané Basson, General Manager of the KKNK, at lizane@kunste.org.za, phone 044 203 8600 or send a WhatsApp to 065 285 2337.
Photos attached
- Since the inception of Teksmark in 2016, 156 scripts have been included as part of the initiative, with 43 script ideas developed into full scale productions. © Nardus Engelbrecht
