Youth Theater Festival Victory for Windhoek Gymnasium

Windhoek Gymnasium Senior Primary School made a noteworthy appearance in the Curro Create National Youth Theatre Festival with their captivating drama production, “Pluk vir my ‘n Reënboog.” This enchanting and joyful play about a girl and her imaginary friends delves into the profound consequences of excessive social media usage among children, shedding light on the loss of childhood creativity and the importance of friendship.

“Pluk vir my ‘n Reënboog” earned the distinction of being the only Namibian production, and one of just four productions selected to compete in the finals, held in Pretoria, South Africa on 6 October 2023. The 17-member cast achieved resounding success, securing several prestigious accolades, including Best Director, which was awarded to Mrs. Heila Ferreira, the Head of Culture of Windhoek Gymnasium Private School. The collective performance of the 17 cast members earned them the title of Best Ensemble, while Francine Coetzer’s exceptional portrayal in the lead role garnered her the Best Actress award. Zay-qida Podewiltz demonstrated immense promise and was recognised as the Most Promising Actress.

Furthermore, the outstanding efforts of six cast members, namely Etuhole Phillemon, Francine Coetzer, Inge Müller, Lilibeth Bazuin, Selma Amunghete, and Zay-qida Podewiltz, were celebrated with the well-deserved honor of receiving theater wings.

This remarkable achievement at the festival serves as a testament to the talent, dedication, and hard work of the Windhoek Gymnasium’s Senior Primary School’s theatrical and technical team.

On the photo:

Cast / Ensemble (in alphabetical order)

• Christine Zikhali – Ensemble
• Etuhole Phillemon – Ensemble (Juf. Raseman)
• Faith Tambrescu – Ensemble Francine Coetzer – Retha Reënboogkind
• Gabrielle Nases – Ensemble (busbestuurder)
• Georgina Cortez – Ensemble
• Inge Müller – Ensemble (deeg)
• JP Lambert – Ensemble
• Lilibeth Bazuin – Ensemble (brood)
• Molly Kambala – Ensemble
• Nicolas Garrels – Ensemble
• Savelia Endjala – Ensemble
• Selma Amunghete – Koepie die Kabouter
• Stiaan Rossouw – Ensemble
• Zay-qida Podewiltz – Kok Louie

Crew

• Heila Ferreira – Director
• Carin Neethling – Director’s Assistant
• Lisa Hugo – Stage Manager
• Amy Hauptfleisch – Stage Manager
• Andries Alberts – Sound
• Kevin Beukes – Lighting