Call for applications: CAB Festival in SA

The festival is aimed at bringing together musical theatre creatives from across South Africa. It seeks to promote, develop and commission new compositions and writing within the broad spectrum of musical theatre, cabaret and music-related storytelling. 

The organisers will use CAB to champion new work to empower writers and provide opportunities to showcase material that is socially relevant and retains the entertainment value inherent in the genre, while at the same time engaging in audience development on the festival’s theme of Cross-wired.

Application process

Interested artists can apply here before 6 June and shortlisted candidates will be announced on 21 June.

Successful applicants will be paid R2 500 for a song that is selected for a showcase performance. If a lyricist and composer wish to work collaboratively, they will receive R1 800 each for each collective work created.

“Cross-wired provides musical theatre writers with the latitude to experiment with the intersection between genres as well as the several social and identity intersections that can inspire the crafting of their songs,” Centre for Creative Arts director Ismail Mahomed said. “Cross-wired invites a no-holds-barred approach to innovation and creativity.”

UKZN music lecturer Roland Perold, who was appointed to curate the festival, said: “The CAB Festival is open to submissions that are experimental and push the boundaries of the genre, as well as more traditional musical theatre work.” 

View the original call here.