Teoretiese oorwegings by die daarstel van beoordelingskriteria vir afrikaanse toneelkompetisies: die nagtegaal-teksprys as gevallenstudie

The contribution of playwriting competitions to the development of the contemporary Afrikaans theater should not be underestimated. The Nagtegaal playwriting competition, one of South Africa's leading competitions in this genre, came to an end in 2010. However, the niche that this competition and similar initiatives have filled in the South African theatre system is of such a nature that it is only a matter of time before it is filled again by the same or a similar initiative. The top five entries for the Nagtegaal playwriting competition in 2008 have been chosen as the focus point of this study and are evaluated according to a proposed methodology. This framework, based on academic principles, aims to identify valuable Afrikaans texts so that they may be preserved for the future. It is also supposed that such a framework could serve to add further depth and credibility to these competitions, prolonging their existence. The model divides the text into its respective elements and evaluates each one individually in order to arrive at a clear impression of the text as a whole. A playwriting competition should not focus exclusively on promoting texts that are popular, but rather on texts that will stand the test of time. It is a commonly accepted fact that literature, and specifically the play, is a reflection of the social order of the community for which, and in which, it is created. The continued existence of these texts as study material for future generations is thus of paramount importance as a part of the development of Afrikaans literature.