Artscape Theatre is excited to announce its annual Rural Outreach Concerts, coming to Mamre near Atlantis on the West Coast on the 31st of October and 1st of November 2024 at the Mamre Primary School. This initiative aims to bring high-quality performing arts to rural communities, creating opportunities for cultural enrichment and celebrating local talent, by taking the theatre to the people.
This yearโs outreach concerts boast an incredible lineup of artists from various disciplines, offering a vibrant mix of ballet, jazz, contemporary dance, opera, and more. The programme will feature performances from Cape Town City Ballet, Jazzart Dance Theatre, jazz singer Ncedeka aka N-The Queen, Afrikaaps hip-hop artist Jitsvinger aka Quinton Goliath, including opera singers Janel Speelman and Sipho Qabithole, with Stefan Lombard as musical director. In addition, the event will proudly showcase local talent from Mamre and Atlantis including the Smile Production Band whose members have spread their international wings too as well as wheelchair bound contemporary singer Nikita Scott.
The day concerts will be free for local schools in the area, allowing learners to experience world-class performances and theatre operational requirements such as sound and lighting right in their community. The performance on Friday 1 November at 20:00 will be open to the public. Ticket sales for this concert are in aid of Lief en Leed, a local non-profit organisation run by persons with disabilities for persons living with disabilities.
Lief en Leed has been a pillar of support in Mamre for over 20 years, dedicated to empowering people with disabilities. โThe funds raised will support our vision for a Centre for Excellence, which will provide resources and opportunities not only for people with disabilities but for the broader Mamre community. Lief and Leed has already signed a lease agreement with the Mamre CPA for three hectares of land, at the entrance of Mamre. This Centre will foster inclusion, creativity, and empowerment for all residents,โ said chairperson Michael September and secretary Paul Arendse, both living with cerebral palsy, at one of the rehearsals recently.
Says Artscape CEO Marlene le Roux: โAs we celebrate 30 years of democracy it is befitting to note that this project was conceptualised as a conduit to implement our constitution. By using theatre as a tool we enhance social cohesion, dialogue with communities and how we best utilise the arts as a vehicle for inclusivity of all communities, irrespective of language, religion, race or gender. It remains one of my personal calendar highlights to see faces light up and to hear the uproarious applause as learners and adults experience the absolute magic of professional theatre โ often for the first timeโ.
Join us for a celebration of the arts that connects rural communities with the magic of performance while supporting a great cause. Tickets are available through Lief and Leed and proceeds will go directly toward supporting the invaluable work of the organisation.
Tickets can be purchased from Lief and Leed members and for more information, please contact Quentin Newman on 074 483 4115