Life after touring
Although
the production, “Son of the Wind” was no longer performing around
the country, in 2011 the cast and crew still participated in exciting
cultural and media events, and the cast benefited from further
professional training.
Presenting the DVD
A
video recording was made of “Son of the Wind” during the
production’s run in Bloemfontein in November of 2010. This
recording was then edited for the purpose of archiving the work as
well as a medium for further presentations of the show in various
venues.
The sculptures commissioned for the production were exhibited at the William Humphrey’s Art Gallery on May 19 in a gala evening which was also the first public screening of the DVD. A short documentary was filmed to accompany the sculpture exhibition. The Documentary was comprised of interviews with the models who posed for the sculptures as they spoke to the Artistic Director, M. Brodiaea about their experiences in the Angolan and Border Wars as directly related to the content of the play “Son of the Wind.” The exceptionally talented, Marius Jansen Van Vurren, the sculptor, was present for the event. Additionally, government officials, members of the public, representatives from local museums, the media, and community leaders from Platfontein, the cast & crew, and the general public attended. In total approximately 200 persons were in attendance. Officials from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and the Department of Education attended along with representatives from the McGregor Museum. The SABC and the DFA covered the event.
Later, a private screening of “Son of the Wind” was held upon the request of the Northern Cape Department of Education for the purposes of a discussion around San history in the academic curriculum and the role of the Arts. The cast attended this presentation whereupon they introduced themselves and answered question from educators and officials.
Then, in June of 2011 SASI took the DVD of the show to Platfontein, the !Xun and Khwe community just outside of Kimberley. The crew erected a large screen on the school grounds in cooperation with the !Xunkhwesa Combined school, and invited the community to view the film of “Son of the Wind”. The entire cast, crew and production team introduced themselves to the community and explained their various roles. Community members of all ages greatly enjoyed the screening and the cast in particular benefited emotionally from the ability to share their exhausting work of the previous year with their peers. An estimated 350 community members of Platfontein attended the screening.
Professional
Development and Community Impact
The
cast participated in a professional development workshop for
entertainers where they learned about the various roles of talent
agents and casting directors as well as the realities of attempting a
career in the entertainment business. By the conclusion of the
workshop each of the actors created a theatrical CV and a cover
letter introducing themselves to prospective talent agents.
Headshots were taken of the actors by a professional photographer and
sent to regional talent bureaus, SASI archived the photos and the
cast received a copy for themselves as well.
The
overall professional impact upon the cast has been very exciting and
positive. Cast members participated in three professional auditions
conducted by separate production companies searching for San persons
with training in acting to be utilized in commercial, film and
television productions. In September of 2011, four actors form “Son
of the Wind” were cast in an episode of “The Final Verdict” a
television show that aired on SABC2 and was produced by Carrol Bouwer
Productions.
Community impact has been in a form of the individual community members that participated extensively in this production. Their training and employment in the production, has had economic and social impact not only on the individuals, but their families as well. The personal impact upon the San actors who participated in “Son of the Wind” has been tremendously positive: language skills have improved greatly; and self-confidence, professionalism, work ethics and a positive cultural image have all blossomed as a result of their experiences.
In September of 2011 the Maloof Money Cup, one of the biggest skateboarding events in the world, held its first ever South African event in the city of Kimberly. The Provincial Department of Tourism organized the internationally televised Opening Ceremony, and requested that an excerpt from “Son of the Wind” be the opening act. With only a week to prepare, the Director, cast and crew rehearsed day and night to create a performance that combined the thematic elements of the story together with San traditional song and dance, modern choreography, and the best of the footage from the production.
“Son of the Wind” was a roaring success at the Opening Ceremony where over 2,000 spectators were present and thousands more watched on television around the world. At the end of the event the producers thanked the director, and complimented the cast not only on their performance but also on their high level of professionalism throughout the course of the event.
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