What the FEDA?!

By Carel Nolte

There are some things in life that remind you what people are capable of when they care enough. FEDA is one of them.

The Festival of Excellence in Dramatic Arts (FEDA) was started in 2004 by Janet Baylis and has grown into what is arguably South Africa’s premier high school one-act play festival. Soon joined by her former pupil, Pippa Sandilands, these two legendary drama educators have ensured that the festival has become a home for young storytellers, actors, directors, playwrights and creatives.

And make no mistake: this is not some “nice school activity”. This is serious art. Serious effort. Serious commitment.

It is also deeply emotional, profoundly human and often breathtakingly brave. As I have been lucky enough to experience over the past few years.

I became involved in FEDA through my friends Paolo and Julia, who introduced me to Pippa. The universe then did what the universe tends to do. Janet’s one son had connections with my school mate and lawyer Lee Astfalck. Conversations became friendships. Friendships became involvement. And before long I found myself not only attending productions but becoming a patron of the festival alongside giants of the arts world like Ismail Mahomed.

And FEDA got under my skin.

Because theatre matters.

Art matters.

Especially when people are young.

Too often society treats drama, music, dance and art as “extras”. Nice-to-haves. Decorative. The first things cut when budgets get tight. The subjects people joke about while obsessing over maths and science.

That thinking is profoundly wrong. Especially now when “creatives” add so much to the wonderful world of AI.

Drama taught me some of the most important lessons of my life at school. Confidence. Public speaking. Collaboration. Timing. Empathy. Storytelling. Courage. The ability to stand in front of people and communicate an idea. The ability to listen. The ability to understand perspectives different from my own. And to have FUN.

Those are not “soft skills”. They are life skills.

They are leadership skills.

In a world increasingly shaped by AI, automation and technology, the deeply human ability to tell stories, connect emotionally and think creatively becomes even more valuable.

FEDA understands this instinctively.

For a few weeks every year, young people from schools across Johannesburg and now increasingly beyond gather to perform stories that are funny, uncomfortable, painful, political, awkward, courageous and deeply honest.

The productions are extraordinary. But what moves me most is the energy behind them.

The rehearsals late into the night.

Teachers sacrificing weekends.

Students rewriting scripts at midnight.

Parents driving all over Joburg.

Directors trying to solve impossible technical problems with almost no money.

Cast members learning to trust each other.

And through all of it, Janet and Pippa somehow holding the entire thing together through sheer force of will, experience and passion.

People see the glamour of finals night. They do not always see the exhaustion behind it.

This year was particularly hard.

Johannesburg’s ongoing urban decline and infrastructure failures impacted the festival in real and tangible ways. The state of the city matters. Theatre-goers navigating broken infrastructure, safety concerns, power uncertainty and urban decay is not sustainable. Arts festivals cannot thrive in cities that stop functioning properly. With municipalities neglecting their art infrastructure and staff.

And yet FEDA persisted.

Because passionate people persist.

That may be the single biggest lesson I have learnt there: institutions survive because individuals care enough to keep carrying them.

Despite the challenges, FEDA continues to grow. One of the most exciting developments is its expansion into KwaZulu-Natal. That matters enormously. South Africa needs more spaces where young creatives can experiment, fail safely, discover their voices and learn the discipline that art demands.

Because contrary to stereotype, drama is not about ego.

Good theatre requires work.

Relentless work.

Discipline.

Preparation.

Teamwork.

Humility.

And resilience.

A production falls apart very quickly when one person decides not to pull their weight.

Business can learn from theatre. Schools can learn from theatre. Society can learn from theatre.

I have also been reminded repeatedly of the extraordinary role teachers play in shaping lives. Janet and Pippa are both educators first. You can see it in how former students speak about them. Great teachers do not merely transfer knowledge. They ignite possibility.

Most of us can remember a teacher who changed our trajectory. Someone who saw something in us before we saw it ourselves.

At EasyEquities we sponsor FEDA in a small way because we believe investing is about more than money. It is about investing in people, creativity, confidence and future potential. The arts are not separate from society or the economy. They shape both.

Creative industries create jobs.

Theatre builds audiences.

Storytelling builds empathy.

Art builds nations.

And perhaps most importantly: art helps us make sense of ourselves as I have often written about in the past.

Some of the productions I have watched at FEDA over the years have left me laughing hysterically. Others have left me gutted. Some challenged my assumptions. Some made me deeply uncomfortable. Good art should probably do all those things. And some of my most special moments at FEDA are when we acknowledge those students who thrived on the FEDA stage and who are no longer with us. Including Cameron Conlon from St Stithians whose mother is one special lady.

That is why FEDA matters.

Not because it produces actors – although it certainly does that too. FEDA alumni continue to achieve remarkable things locally and internationally.

It matters because it produces human beings who can think, feel, collaborate, challenge and create.

To Janet and Pippa: thank you. What you have built is extraordinary. South African arts and education are better because of your stubbornness, your vision, your champagne drinking skills and your refusal to quit.

And to every drama teacher, exhausted parent, nervous student, backstage volunteer and hopeful young actor standing in the wings waiting for their cue: thank you too.

The lights matter because you keep switching them on.