Luwes, N. J.Venter, Pieter Andries2016-01-132016-01-132007http://hdl.handle.net/11660/2168Thesis (Ph.D. (Drama and Theatre Arts))--University of the Free State, 2007𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 Through exploratory and descriptive research into the importance and incidence of Youth Theatre as genre, this study revealed that the changing political situation after 1994, the White paper on Arts, Culture and Heritage (1994) and the disbanding of the Arts Councils had a negative influence on the staging and maintaining of new works for youth theatre audiences in Afrikaans. Thus, there is evidence of a gap in theatre presentations for the age group 13 to 18 years. This is true in particular, of the range between Child and Adult Theatre. Youth Theatre (“Jeugteater”) seems an appropriate term for this type of theatre aimed at youthful audiences and performed by professional actors in contrast with Teenage Theatre (“Tienertoneel”) which is theatre presented by youthful actors for a youthful audience. The collated findings of a literature review, questionnaires, interviews, practical implementation and comparison with international trends, prove that a definite gap exists in the staging of Afrikaans Youth Theatre as part of Mainstream productions for entertainment, alongside the need for Community- and Educational Theatre. The study finds that themes addressed before 1994 are more national-minded and romanticised, compared with the themes after 1994 that are more relevant and realistic in nature and also less inhibited. The theatre practitioner, working in this genre, who has a good command of the complexities of adolescence as well as the external factors which influence the adolescent, has the ability to make the right choice regarding theme, nature and style of presentation as well as content of Youth Theatre productions. Only with this in mind can Youth Theatre productions appeal to the taste and entertainment needs of the youth. The study also demonstrates that the staging of productions that integrate dance, music, drama and digital media, appeal more to the adolescent audience than conventional drama productions. In addition, the study finds that financial support from the formal sector; the National Arts Council (on a project-to-project basis); the National Lottery; as well as Provincial Arts and Culture Councils have practical implications for this industry when it comes to long-term planning for theatre practitioners and there theatre projects. Financial constraints and extended waiting periods for the outcome of applications, as well as the fact that projects have to be completed before the next applications can be handed in, inhibit and constrain the financial viability of permanent Companies who wish to pursue Youth Theatre as Entertainment Theatre alone. School tours with Educational and Community Theatre programs very often constitute the only other source of income for professional Youth Theatre Companies. Funders such as the NAC and others lack an understanding of the functioning of the theatre industry and are therefore unable to adjust funding procedure to ensure the long-term viability of this genre. In conclusion, this study finds that financially supported, quality, Youth Theatre can prevent the overall loss of audiences in the range between Child and Adult Theatre. This can only be achieved if collaboration exists between the different levels of government such as the Departments of Education, Arts and Culture, funders and professional theatre practitioners. Lastly, it is of the utmost importance for Youth Theatre that theatre on the whole is given higher priority in the policies of the Performing Arts and Education. Ample manpower and infrastructure does exist to stage Afrikaans Youth Theatre of a high standard. Lastly, it appears that the policy on theatre, and specifically Youth Theatre of the Provincial Arts Councils before the implementation of Playhouses, could be fruitfully revisited.𝑨𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒌𝒂𝒂𝒏𝒔 Die studie bevind deur ʼn verkennende en beskrywende ondersoek na die belangrikheid en voorkoms van Jeugteater as genre dat die veranderende politieke bedeling na 1994, die Witskrif vir Kuns, Kultuur en Erfenis (1994), en die ontbinding van die Streeksrade ʼn negatiewe invloed op die aanbieding en instandhouding van nuwe werke vir Afrikaanse professionele teater vir jeuggehore gehad het. Tussen Kinder- en Volwasseteater bestaan dus ʼn gaping in teateraanbiedings vir die ouderdomsgroep 13- tot 18-jariges. Jeugteater blyk ʼn gepaste term te wees vir die tipe teater vir jeuggehore wat deur professionele akteurs aangebied word, in teenstelling met Tienertoneel, waar teater deur jeugakteurs vir jeuggehore opgevoer word. Die vraelyste en onderhoude, literatuurstudie, praktiese implementering en die vergelyking met internasionale tendense in die studie bewys dat ʼn definitiewe leemte en ʼn behoefte aan die aanbieding van Jeugteater vir suiwer vermaak as hoofstroom-produksies saam met Gemeenskaps- en Opvoedkundigeteater in Afrikaans bestaan. Die studie bevind dat temas wat voor 1994 aangespreek is meer nasionalisties verromantiseer blyk te wees in vergelyking met temas na 1994 wat meer relevant en realisties van aard, asook minder geïnhibeerd is. Indien die teaterpraktisyn wat in dié genre werk genoegsame kennis van die kompleksiteit van die adolessent, asook oor die eksterne faktore wat die adolessent beïnvloed, beskik, sal hy/sy die regte keuses ten opsigte van temas aangespreek asook die aard en styl van aanbiedings en die inhoud van Jeugteaterproduksies kan maak. Met bogenoemde in ag genome kan Jeugteaterproduksies dan aan die smaak en vermaaklikheidsbehoeftes van die jeug voldoen. Die studie toon dat aanbiedings van produksies wat dans, musiek, drama en digitale media integreer groter byval vind by die adolessent as gewone drama produksies. Die studie bevind verder dat finansiële ondersteuning van die formele sektor (op ʼn projek-tot-projek befondsingswyse) deur die Nasionale Kunsteraad, die Nasionale Lotery, Provinsiale Kuns- en Kultuurrade en vanuit die privaatsektor, praktiese implikasies ten opsigte van langtermynbeplanning vir teaterpraktisyns en hul teaterprojekte inhou. Finansiële beperkinge en wagtye vir die uitslag van aansoeke, asook die feit dat projekte eers afgehandel moet word voordat nuwe aansoeke ingedien kan word, maak dit baie moeilik vir permanente geselskappe om met deurlopende sekerheid uit Jeugteater as Vermaaklikheidsteater alleen ʼn bestaan te maak. Skoletoere met Opvoedkundige- en Gemeenskapsteaterproduksies is menigmale die enigste ander bron van inkomste vir professionele Jeugteatergroepe. ʼn Gebrek aan begrip vir die werking van die teaterindustrie om langtermynsekerheid te verskaf, ontbreek dus by die Nasionale Kunsteraad en ander befondsers. Die gevolgtrekking waartoe in hierdie studie gekom word, is dat behoorlikgefinansierde kwaliteit Jeugteater die verlies aan gehore tussen Kinder- en Volwasseteater kan voorkom. Dit kan alleenlik bereik word indien samewerking op verskillende vlakke van die regering soos die Departemente van Onderwys en Kuns en Kultuur, befondsers en professionele teaterpraktisyns plaasvind. Ten slotte toon die studie dat dit van kardinale belang vir Jeugteater is dat teater as ʼn geheel meer op die voorgrond in die beleid van die Uitvoerende Kunste en opvoeding geplaas moet word. Genoegsame mannekrag en ʼn infrastruktuur om Afrikaanse Jeugteater van gehalte te skep, bestaan. Laastens blyk dit dat die beleid van die Streeksrade voor die instelling van die Speelhuise ten opsigte van teater in die breë, en dan spesifiek Jeugteater, weer met vrug besoek kan word.afChildren's theater -- South AfricaTheater and youth -- South Africa -- EvaluationChildren's plays, Afrikaans -- History and criticismTheatre by YouthCommunity TheatreEducational TheatreTheatre trendsThemesAdolescenceDevelopment tasksTheatre for YouthWhite PaperAfrikaansThesisUniversity of the Free State