Magnet Theatre's Theatre-making Internship Program Presents Lwanda Sindaphi's KUDU

Lwanda Sindaphi's KUDU is set in the year 2030. The AmaXhosa Nation has taken over the Eastern Cape in an attempt to utilise the land for their own prosperity. Meanwhile three Khoi-Coloured descendants and their aging cow are migrating to the Eastern Cape. The drama centres on their encounter with Intaba KaNdoda, a poverty-stricken community once ruled by the Khoi chief Ndoda. The Khoi-Coloured descendants, having heard stories of how chief Ndoda was killed in a land dispute, have come to reclaim what is rightfully theirs. They have arrived to take back the Land from the AmaXhosa.

"I've been reading a book by David Robbins called On The Bridge of Goodbye. In the book there's this quote about genocide which I find relevant to KUDU, 'Physical genocide that's something that everyone knows. But what about spiritual genocide? The genocide of consciousness, of language, of culture. That's what I want to write about: about someone who looks like his own people, but is only a shell. Inside, he is like a zombie.' The play is about people reclaiming their own piece of land reclaiming their customs, their culture, their languages and their spirituality. It's people fighting to be acknowledged not as extinct but as existing." Lwanda Sindaphi

For tickets visit webtickets.co.za.

The Theatre-making Internship Programme

The Theatre-making Internship Programme invited two emerging theatre-maker/directors to spend a year with the 3rd year trainees on Magnet Theatre's Fulltime Training and Job Creation Programme. Its goal is to give emerging theatre makers/directors the opportunity to create a theatre product under the mentorship of professional directors (Mark Fleishman and Jennie Reznek) in a safe environment where they are creatively free and not restricted by the need to battle for financial survival.

Lwanda Sindaphi

Actor, playwright, theatre director and poet, Lwanda is currently one of the most sought after poets in Cape Town. He started his theatre career in 2009, debuting at the National Arts Festival with Sophumelela theatre group. He holds a performing arts certificate from New Africa Theatre Academy and studied physical theatre and acting at Magnet Theatre (2012/13). He won the 2011 DFL + LOVER Another Poetry Slam and went to compete in the national finals. Whilst training at Magnet Theatre he performed in The Heart of Redness (directed by Mark Fleishman) and running with gold fish and gift wrapping the sea (directed by Brink Scholtz). Lwanda is the co-founder of Lingua Franca Spoken Word Movement based in Delft. He recently directed Paired, a production for under 7-year olds which performed at Magnet Theatre and toured Cape Town child-care centres.

Fulltime Training and Job Creation Programme

The Fulltime Training and Job Creation Programme caters for youth who, for one reason or another, struggle to be absorbed into the training at the Universities. Some have educational disadvantages from their schooling and do not make the University entrance grade. Others struggle with funding or with simply feeling out of place in the strange environment of a higher education institution. Our goal, where possible, is to bridge the divide between the community and the University. Where this is not possible, it is to provide skills, expertise and a sense of direction to talented unemployed young people so that they might become integrated in the creative industries. The broad intention is to transform the theatre industry into one that is more inclusive. The Magnet Theatre Fulltime Training and Job Creation Programme is unique in the Cape Town area. There is no other theatre arts bridging programme of its kind for marginalised youth.

During 2016, a third advanced ('honours') year of training was implemented to 8 of the 2014/15 (4th cohort) graduates who were selected based on their commitment, discipline, talent and ability for further growth as theatre practitioners.

The 2016 Fulltime Training and Job Creation Programme and Theatre-making Internship Programme was made possible with support of the National Lotteries Commission, Rolf-Stephan Nussbaum Foundation, HCI Community Transport Programme, Oppenheimer Memorial Trust and Rand Merchant Bank.

Emmanuel Ntsamba

Emmanuel Nkosipendule "Mpempe" Ntsamba was born in 1990. He has been part of the Africa Jam Organisation for the past 10 years, doing community theatre and outreach programmes. In his theatre background he worked with Loyiso Damoyi in a production called Uhlazo which won the first Zabalaza festival and had a successful run at Baxter Theatre. He then worked with Thami Mbongo in a musical show Unborn, working alongside Thumeka Mzayiya, Mandisi Sindo and Anele Kose. After that he worked with Mama Thoko Ntshinga on a show titled Bashed or be bashed, then came to Magnet Theatre and did his fulltime training in physical theatre for 2 years under the supervision of Jennie Reznek and Mark Fleishman. He has worked with Thando Doni, Zwelakhe Khuse and Mandla Mbothwe.

Meagan Booysen

Meagan Booysen is a 21 year old performer, creator and hopefully someday a creator of dreams. She is currently a third year student at Magnet Theatre. In the past she worked on different community projects such as the Cape Town Carnival and Cape Town Fringe festival. She belonged to a community theatre called BTC- Bridgetown Theatre Company, and has danced with the Eoan group. During high school she performed with Hip Hop Indaba and the Rock challenge.

Beviol Swartz

Beviol Swarts is 20 years old and is from Eesteriver. She matriculated in 2013 from Eesteriver Arts and Culture Focus School. In 2014 she started at Magnet Theatre, trained there for 2 years and graduated at the end of 2015. Whilst at Magnet Theatre, she performed in Ukhanyo directed by Thando Doni, Ekhaya directed by Jennie Reznek and AHA! directed by Nwabisa Plaatjie with mentorship from Jennie Reznek.

Luthando Mvandaba

Luthando Mvandaba was born in Cape Town in 1990 but originated from the Eastern Cape where his parents come from. In 1989 he went to Nkazimulo Primary School and in 2006 he started his High School at Chris Hani Arts and Culture Focus School. After he finished his matric, he joined a community group called Buyelekhaya Traditional Dancers, performing around Cape Town and surrounds and during the world cup season. In 2011 he went to Grahamstown with a production called Ibhekile Evuzayo (Leaking Calabash). In 2014 and 2015 he was part of the training at Magnet Theatre.

Natasha Gana

Natasha Gana is a 26 years old actress from Cape Town from Nyanga East. She finished her matric in 2009 and went to New Africa Theatre Academy for 2 years and then came to Magnet Theatre as a trainee. While she was at New Africa, she performed around Cape Town with Thabo Mbeki and Other Nightmares and Bashed or be Bashed and has performed at the Zabalaza as a guest performer with Thabo Mbeki and other Nightmares. While at Magnet Theatre she performed in various plays including Ukhanyo directed by Thando Doni and In The City Of Paradise by Mark Fleishman.

Lwando Magwaca

Lwando Magwaca is from Nyanga East. He runs an arts project called Tales Of Chronicles, which focuses on African Indigenous poetry. He also leads a Christian movement called Anointed Youth Movement that is based on empowering and equipping youth from different backgrounds. He is a co-founder of Nyanga Yethu Project: a gang-intervention project using arts and performance. He is currently running a new project called Thethani - a debating project that stimulates cognitive discussions that excavates leaders, motivational speakers and public talks that inform community and help build role models. He is a graduate of the Magnet Theatre Fulltime Training and Job Creation programme (2014/15) and currently completing the advanced third year at Magnet.

Livie Ncanywa

Livie Ncanywa is 21 years old, from Nyanga East and matriculated from Zonnebloem Nest High School. Previously he was involved with New Born Theatre, in Nyanga. He participated in the Magnet Theatre Fulltime Training and Job Creation programme (2014/15) where he performed in Ukhanyo directed by Thando Doni, In The City of Paradise directed by Mark Fleishman, Knock! directed by Jennie Reznek and Paired directed by Lwanda Sindaphi

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