Whether you are attending a theatre production, art exhibitions, discussion panels, book reviews or musical events at this year's Woordfees, somewhere a Matie, an alumnus, or a Stellenbosch University (SU) academic will be doing his or her thing.    

Several theatre productions boast actors, producers and writers who did a stint at the SU Department of Drama.

Die Gangsters, with text by Dr Benoni Dehaeck, commemorates this great master of the theatre at the Breughel Theatre and features SU alumnus and Fiësta award winner Dean-John Smith. 

Among the alumni is De Klerk Oelofse, who plays in Hond se Gedagtes in the Stellenbosch Town Hall. The director of this farce is Christiaan Olwagen, also an alumnus of SU.

Innie rof and Raka boast actor Neels van Jaarsveld, who also completed his study at SU's Drama Department.

Nicole Holm can be seen in production of Die dag is bros, but also in In Ongenade, the cabaret Hensop and Moeder Moed en haar kinders.

Broodlyn is produced by Gaerin Hauptfleisch; Marion Holm is at the festival with Die  Kaap is weer Holms, directed by former Matie Chris Vorster; while Stian Bam and Tinarie van Wyk performs in the outstanding production, Orgie.

Composer Pierre-Henri Wicomb, a former student of SU's Conservatoire, is responsible for the soundtracks of Buite blaf die honde swart and In Ongenade.

Art works by alumni can also be seen in the visual arts exhibitions at the Woordfees. The curator of the exhibition in GUS and Oude Libertas Gallery, Spreek die Woord/Break the Spell, is well-known artist Louis Jansen van Vuuren.

The festival exhibition, Plek-plek, under curatorship of Alex Hamilton at the SU Museum, investigates the things that contribute to Stellenbosch's present community and viewpoint, and asks questions such as what makes the town tick and what the universal glue is that keeps everything together.

Matie alumni, lecturers and students are very well represented at the festival's musical offering. Alumni Zorada Temmingh, Winand Grundling, Erik Dippenaar, Diederick Basson and Louna Stofberg will inspire their audiences during their lunch-time sessions on the NG Moederkerk's organ.

Lovers of choirs should not miss performances by the SU Chamber Choir, the Stellenbosch University Choir or the Stellenbosch Libertas Choir. Other highlights include a performance by the Amici String Quartet, the Stellenbosch University Camerata, the TwoPianists Nina Schumann and Luis Magalhães, as well as mezzo-soprano Jolene McCleland and cellist Anzél Gerber.

The discussion sessions and book reviews are a stamping ground for many Maties as well. The Filosofiekafee is always a hit, in Beste Professor, SU professors will be leading discussions on topics such as democracy and the legal state, land reform and the state treasury.

SU's Frederik van Zyl Slabbert discussion series tackles political matters and at the Science Café Stellenbosch at the Plataan Café, Dave Pepler is the discussion leader.

The STIAS discussions are held at the Wallenburg Centre, and Stellenbosch 360 will present a discussion on what makes Stellenbosch unique, as well the topic The South Africa I want. The Woordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal (WAT) will present discussions on topics such as humour in Afrikaans and idiomatic expressions in this authoritative Afrikaans dictionary.

Wherever you go at this year's Woordfees, you'll find a Matie on stage or behind the scenes.   

• Go to www.woordfees.co.za for the programme.  

PHOTO: SU alumnus Nicole Holm with Gerben Kamper in In Ongenade. Photo by NARDUS ENGELBRECHT / INK