Junkets Launches Thundafund Campaign for AFRICAN FOLKTALES ONSTAGE

Junkets is committed to publishing two volumes of AFRICAN FOLKTALES ONSTAGE!: PLAYS FOR PRE-TEENS. Having received a grant of R10 000 from the Distell Foundation, the company - which has developed a reputation as the leading independent publisher of new South African plays - is looking for help to produce the two high-quality, low-cost books, and print enough books to distribute free copies to under-resourced schools. To this end, Junkets has launched a Thundafund crowd-funding campaign yesterday that will last until 15 November.

AFRICAN FOLKTALES ONSTAGE! consists of 24 plays for pre-teens based on African folktales. Some are traditional; some are freshly invented. Authors include Janice Honeyman, the Jungle Theatre Company, Omphile Molusi, M Cassiem D'arcy, Clinton Marius, Ingrid Wylde, André Lemmer, Zimbabwean Christopher Mlalazi and Jonathan Orton. There are a number of new or emerging writers among the playwrights, such as Letlhogonolo Riba and M Andries Phukuntsi. The four compilers are all well-established theatre-makers and playwrights: Fatima Dike, André Lemmer, Robin Malan and Omphile Molusi.

Some of the costs that Junkets hopes to cover with the campaign include the proofreading, typesetting, design, printing and binding of the books. The milestones for the AFRICAN FOLKTALES ONSTAGE! campaign are as follows: Milestone 1 (R25 000), which will cover production and printing costs; Milestone 2 (R50 000), which will see the delivery of free copies of both books to under-resourced schools, a nominal fee paid to the three co-compilers and complimentary copies to authors, in lieu of payment; and Milestone 3 (R80 000), which will cover nominal fees to the authors and catering for the launch of the books.In this video, Robin Malan introduces the campaign-in-action:

The Thundafund principle is that benefactors do not donate money: everyone who backs the project for a certain amounts will receive something from Junkets. These levels of backing-and-reward, which Junkets has given 'bookish' labels, ranging from 'Comic Book' to 'Classic', include:

• Comic Book (R 50), rewarded with a personal 'Thank You' on the Junkets Facebook page as well as an 'I ♥ Junkets Publisher' bumper-sticker or schoolbag-sticker;
• Paperback (R100), rewarded with a gift copy of Robin Malan's IMPOSSIBLE BOOK QUIZ BOOK, as well as the Comic Book rewards;
• Graphic Novel (R150), rewarded with a copy of one volume of AFRICAN FOLKTALES ONSTAGE!, as well as the Paperback and Comic Book rewards;
• Hardcover (R250), rewarded with a copy of both volumes of AFRICAN FOLKTALES ONSTAGE!, as well as the Paperback and Comic Book rewards;
• First Edition (R500), rewarded with a donation of the two-book set to an under-resourced school of your choice, a copy of both volumes of AFRICAN FOLKTALES ONSTAGE!, as well as the Paperback and Comic Book rewards;
• Collector's Item (R1 000), rewarded with an invitation for two to attend the Winelands Launch on a beautiful Cape summer evening, a personal set of both volumes of AFRICAN FOLKTALES ONSTAGE! on publication and special thanks on all Junkets outlets;
• School Library Books (R2 750), rewarded with a donation of the two-book set to ten under-resourced schools of your choice; a personal set of both volumes of AFRICAN FOLKTALES ONSTAGE! on publication and special thanks on all Junkets outlets;
• Africana (R5 000), rewarded with the appearance of your logo or name on the back cover of both books; and
• Classic (R25 000), rewarded with the patronage of the entire AFRICAN FOLKTALES ONSTAGE! project.

For rewards that feature the delivery of books, delivery to a South African address is free. Backers who want their reward delivered to them outside of South Africa will have to add the "International Delivery" reward of R100) to their shopping basket.

Visit the Junkets AFRICAN FOLKTALES ONSTAGE Thundafund page to make your pledge, or contact Junkets Publisher by email on info.junkets@iafrica.com or visit their website, the AFRICAN FOLKTALES ONSTAGE! Facebook page or Twitter account (@nibornalam) for further information.