The Market Theatre in Johannesburg
David Eppel:
The Market Lab is an intensive, 
2-year training ground for South African students. It is funded by government and private sources, and is offered free to those 20 students who make the cut. Competition is fierce, and young South Africans come from all parts of the country to audition. There is a new intake every two years – only one graduating class at a time. Teachers are drawn from the professional theatre and the world of dance and music. The training is intense and very focused.
At the end of June into the beginning of July, the annual National Arts Festival is held in Grahamstown, in the Eastern Cape. Our students would depart for South Africa in time to go to the Festival. While there, they’d meet the students from the Lab and watch them perform.
Back in Johannesburg, our students 
would attend morning classes with the Johannesburg students, and begin work on a collaborative piece. the piece would be wholly driven by class work, and revolve around the curriculum already in place. Our students would attend classes in movement, acting, improvisation, directing, drumming, dramatic literature and theatre analysis amongst others. They would also be required to attend all productions currently on at the main Market Theatre, and take their turns at ushering for these shows.
A showing of their collaborative piece might be the culmination of their course.
