This weekend, the South Africa Project celebrates 10 years at GW with a showcase of events. The Project is a special program within the university’s Department of Theatre & Dance.
Since the summer of 2003, GW professor Leslie Jacobson has traveled to the rural township of Winterveldt, South Africa, with colleague Roy Barber from St. Andrews Episcopal School, to work with the young men and women at the Bokamoso Youth Center.
Jacobson and Barber use theatre, music and dance to address issues challenging these youth and their families in their community. Winterveldt is actively working to heal and restore its population, with contributions from various civic and religious organizations and private individuals.
One of the most effective community organizations, the Bokamoso Youth Center, works with at-risk youth to bring focus and hope to their lives, and to get them into school and training programs.
Each summer, Jacobson, often accompanied by GW students, and Barber have developed plays and songs that address social problems in this community. These plays evolve from collaborations with the youth and participating GW students.
Since 2004, a dozen youth from the Bokamoso Youth Center have traveled to the U.S. every January, staying with GW students for a week. This deeply meaningful cultural exchange culminates in a performance at the Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre of the George Washington University, to benefit the Center’s Scholarship Fund.
Information about the annual performance, as well as additional anniversary events, is below:
Feb. 8
4:00-5:40pm: Focus on Violence Against Women & Girls: An Interactive Workshop . Admission is free.
6:00-7:00pm: Reception with the Bokamoso youth and special guests. Suggested donation — $20. RSVP to: [email protected]
Feb. 8 & 9
7:30pm (both nights): Benefit performance featuring youth from the Bokamoso Youth Centre, Winterveldt, South Africa. Students/Seniors — $10; General Admission — $35.
Buy tickets now!
Feb. 9
2:00pm: Staged readings of plays by GW students Madeline Hendricks & Edward Churchill, based on their experiences at Bokamoso. Admission is free
All events take place in GW’s Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre, Marvin Center (1st Floor),800 21st Street, NW, Washington, D.C.
All proceeds go to support the Bokamoso Youth Centre in Winterveldt, South Africa. For more information, contact: [email protected]
Sponsors: GW Department of Theatre and Dance, and the Global Women’s Institute, with the support of the Department of Music, the Africana Studies and Women’s Studies Programs, and the Multi-Cultural Students Association; and community sponsors, the Bokamoso Youth Foundation, the Seekers Church, and St. Andrew’s Episcopal School.
