EBosch Marthie Nel Hauptfleisch, music director for e’Bosch Festival of Talents 2025, with a selfie of some of the 10 chosen finalists for a previous e’Bosch Festival of Talents. Pictured at the back are Siba Qoba, Ronaldo van Rhyn, Drovigas Goshai, Robert Hindley (drama tutor), Clayton Appolis, and Lushian de Koker, and in front are Marthie, Leshton-Lee du Plessis, and Nevrihelle Arnolds.
Image: Staff reporter
Ebosch Marthie Nel Hauptfleisch, music director for e’Bosch Festival of Talents 2025, with Justin Jefthas, an entrant to this year’s e’Bosch Festival of Talents 2025.
Image: Staff re[prter
Aspiring stage performers now have the chance to hone their skills for free in upcoming workshops hosted by the organizers of the e’Bosch Festival of Talents 2025.
The workshops, to be held for four consecutive Saturdays starting May 10, will cover various disciplines, such as solo or group singing, hip-hop and gospel, poetry, storytelling, and stand-up comedy.
“The first workshop, to be held on Saturday May 10 at the e’Bosch headquarters, 116 Dorp Street, Stellenbosch, starts at nine and is mainly for those who want guidance on singing for groups of up to five performers. Participants will receive expert training in stage presence, professional etiquette, and performance technique,” says Marthie Hauptfleisch, music director for this year’s festival.
“The four Saturdays are respectively reserved for singing (Saturday May 10), hip-hop (Saturday May 17), stand-up comedy (Saturday May 24), and storytelling (Saturday May 24).
“Although we offer free entry for learners still at school, those attending the workshops will also be able to waive the R100 entry fee for the competition this year, says Ms Hauptfleisch.
The organisers will give preference to entrants from the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek regions and especially from the dorpies such as Cloetesville, Devon Valley, Groendal, Faure, Ida’s Valley, Jamestown, Kayamandi, Klapmuts, Kylemore, Lanquedoc, Pniël, Raithby, Stellenbosch Central, Vlottenburg, Wemmershoek, and the Farming Communities.
The entry deadline is 14 June this year, and entering is simple: contestants submit a three-minute demo video (max 50MB, portrait format), which a panel of judges will review.
Those advancing to Round Two will be invited to live auditions at the Drostdy Theatre on June 21, where top finalists will be chosen to perform at the grand Heritage Day Gala Event on September 24. Finalists will be remunerated for their performances and have the chance to win cash prizes.
Reservations can be made at 061 595 4085 and are restricted on a first-come basis because of limited space. Entry forms are available online at https://forms.gle/y3hQHxcUSUkWHsBj6, and for more informatioin, contact talent@ebosch.co.za
This year’s Festival of Talents 2025 is sponsored by the National Lotteries Commission, Wesgro, and DCAS (Western Cape).