This is thanks to the generous support of the Mpumalanga government (department of sport, culture and recreation) and Sasol, Secunda, which has been a loyal supporter of Sancta since 2004 in many aspects.

This is the third year the festival is taking place at The Johannes Stegmann Theatre. The rest of the sponsorship from the Mpumalanga government will be used over the next eight months for various workshops in Mpumalanga. Sasol has also sponsored prizes and the winner will be part-sponsored to go to Grahamstown in 2013.

There are 12 entries – eight from Mpumalanga and four from Gauteng - and three new entries from the Gert Sibande Region and Emahleni (Witbank), as a result of the extensive workshops held over four Saturdays in four different towns that were attended by approximately 300 participants from 40 outlying areas, some as far as 200km away.

The participants were chosen on the strength of their scripts and possible ability to reach the stage. An extensive mentoring programme is taking place over May and June in Mpumalanga and Gauteng, led by Sancta patroness Dorothy Anne Gould, Michael Maxwell, Karen van der Laag and Jaques da Silva, all highly professional and well-known thespians in the theatre and TV industry.

In the first week of July, each play will be given a two-hour technical rehearsal by Sancta’s festival stage manager, Barry Neuwerth.

They wish to thank The Samro Foundation who have been supporting them for 12 years, enabling them to have high quality professional adjudicators in Hazel Bilsland-Brown, Mongi Mthobeni and Mmabu Titi.

They are also a member of the International Amateur Theatre Association and have just received a pre-entry acknowledgement for the 58^th IATA festival to be held in Monaco in August 2013. This will be theiur fourth entry, if chosen, since 2001 - almost unheard of for a non-continental member.

They also wish to express their thanks to TJ de Klerk of Artslink for his constant support over many years to Sancta and Gerry Coughlin in Cape Town who updates their website.

Tickets for the Festival are available from Noel McDonald (083 309 4315) in Johannesburg and Henning Botha (082 440 8120), Sancta representative in Secunda. They are R20 per night for three plays, but participating groups that make block bookings receive discounted rates. The final night is R20pp, both external audience and participants, available from Noel or Henning.

The performances start at 18:30 Monday to Friday with three plays per night, followed by a verbal adjudication by the three adjudicators. Written adjudications follow later.

The final night, Saturday, 14 July, will commence at 17:30 after a short cocktail party for the VIP guests, with the three best plays decided upon by the adjudicators on the Friday night, followed by the gala award ceremony. At interval, a schedule of all nominees will be displayed in the foyer. They now have 30 awards to be given, along with certificates and trophies, and the evening will be photographed and videoed.

Schedule of performances:

Tuesday, 10 July at 18:30
1. Izaze Zaze, Embahlenhle – name TBA-
2. Siyonqoba Performing Arts, Embalenhle – In Red
3. Sisonke Art Productions, Witbank – Mina No Baba

Wednesday, 11 July at 18:30
1. Hillbrow Theatre Outreach Group, Hillbrow, Jhb – I Still Ask Myself Why?
2. Vir Nthosco, Witbank – Abandoned/ Abandoned
3. Waterfront Drama Group, Trichardt – The Chronicles of Pain

Thursday, 12 July at 18:30
1. Waterfront Drama School, Trichardt – Dirk Smirk – Secret Agent
2. The Theatre Lions, Embalenhle, Our Silent Wars
3. Mzinoni Theatre Group, Bethal – All Secrets must be Told

Friday, 13 July at 18:30
1. Duduza Serenade Youth Development, Nigel, GP – The Finger
2. Skoppensboer – Dreamworkz Studio- Randfontein High School, GP
3. The Youth League – do

Saturday, 14 July at 17:30
The re-performance of the three best productions of the week, followed by a gala award ceremony, with guest hostess Karin van der Laag.

For any information on Sancta, its festivals and other activities, contact Noel McDonald (Acting National Chair) or Henning Botha for Mpumalanga.