ACHIEVEMENTS
Upstage Concepts has a proud record of national and international success, with achievements that reach from competition stages to professional theatre, film and music.
National and International Recognition
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Overall Top Studio at the South African Championships of Performing Arts in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
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2026 National Champions: Overall Grand Champion Senior Actor, Overall Grand Champion Junior Actor and Grand Champion Male Model, together with Overall Top Male Vocalist 9–12, Overall Top Vocal Group 9–12 and Overall Top Vocal Group 13–15.
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Overall Top Group across all ages and disciplines for two consecutive years: Upstage Singers in 2025 and our drama group in 2026—an exceptional achievement across the full competition.
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Top Teacher in South Africa in 2026, building on our national coaching recognition in 2015.
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Top Institution at the National Eisteddfod for the 16th time in 2025, alongside the Overall Top Senior Actor award.
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Overall Acting Award at the World Championships of Performing Arts in 2015 and 2022. A total of 29 Upstage students have attended Worlds, with scholarships awarded to the New York Film Academy and New York Conservatory of Dramatic Arts.
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38 students awarded cultural scholarships to leading Johannesburg schools.
From Upstage to the World
Our former students have gone on to achieve remarkable things: performing in Hamilton in London’s West End and leading theatre productions in New York, recording music in Nashville, directing and owning a successful production company, reaching the finals of The Voice South Africa, becoming the face of Nickelodeon, and twice winning South African Kid Influencer of the Year.
Others are pursuing performing arts careers through Waterfront Theatre School, AFDA and LAMDA, while three former students have completed their studies at the New York Film Academy. These are just some of the success stories that began at Upstage.
Creating, Connecting and Giving Back
Our students have recorded and released our original song, You Are Enough, which has been shared internationally and is available on all streaming platforms.
We also encourage students to use their talents to make a difference. Through a 12-hour overnight challenge, our students raised more than R75,000 worth of donations for the Rivers Foundation.
We are proud of the awards—but equally proud of the confident, hardworking and generous young people behind them.
