’Tis the season to celebrate theatre in Durban, and in particular young actors who will be performing on stage over the next few weeks in two productions.
KickstArt’s “Winnie the Pooh” opened at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre recently and will run until July 16.
“Winnie the Pooh” features a cast of new children playing Christopher Robin, Roo, Rabbit’s friends and relations and Alexander Beetle complementing the KickstArt regulars playing the much-loved characters.
It stars Blessing Xaba as Pooh, Iain Robinson as Eeyore, Lyle Buxton as Owl, Amahle Tembe as Piglet, Roland Perold as Rabbit, Keryn Scott as Kanga and Micah Stojakovic as Tigger.
The children are: Botshela Monyele/Kanyi Monyele as Rabbit; Cassidy Hartman/Olivia Snell as Squirrel; Daniel Radford/Zian Brink as Christopher Robin; Khayone Moyikwa as Alexander Beetle; and Arya Jugernath as Roo.
Arya is 16 and in Grade 11 at Reddam House, uMhlanga. This is her first KickstArt production.
The La Mercy resident said she was introduced to drama at the age of 6. She was in Grade 1 at the time and has since pursued this subject.
“As a child I fancied dressing up as different Disney princesses and acting out their roles from watching the various Disney movies. My mum, Prashika, always entertained me by taking me to watch many of the KickstArt productions. I was mesmerised by the performers and always wanted to meet them after the show.”
She said she found KickstArt’s productions exciting and could not contain herself from auditioning.
“I have since achieved the dreams of my younger self,” she said.
“When I was younger, my favourite was watching ‘Winnie the Pooh’ every day without fail. I still love the show – the adorable characters, their traits and the bonds shared between each of them. Pooh Bear is my favourite character because of his simplicity and kindness. His personality is sweet and he always looks out for his friends.”
She said she had secretly wished to get the role of Roo.
“I love playing Roo. He is a little ball of energy that everyone loves. I feel I am able to play the character easily as I relate to him. We share many similar character traits. Roo is energetic and lively. He is filled with enthusiasm and curiosity. The part I found most challenging was to keep this energy going throughout the duration of the production.”
Arya said she valued working with a professional theatre company.
“I loved being exposed to such an amazing director, who turned this simple story into an extraordinary live production. Even though we worked hard during rehearsals, Mr Steven Stead made working fun and brought the best out of each of the performers. I appreciated how organised and dedicated he was. The experience has helped me to communicate better and it took me out of my comfort zone.”
Arya’s mother said she found participating in drama/the performing arts to be a confidence booster for children.
“It teaches children to have the courage of their convictions, to be assertive and comfortable with sharing their views on issues. This carries forward to real life situations later in life, be it in a social or career setting.”
Young Performers Project (YPP) 2023
This year, the YPP presents “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at the Playhouse Opera from July 8 to 16.
The 2023 production will have the biggest cast yet: 167 children ranging in age from 5 to 19. They are from more than 50 schools throughout KwaZulu-Natal.
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” is a sung-through musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It based on the character of Joseph from the Bible’s Book of Genesis.
This year there are two professional performers: Aaron McIlroy as the Pharaoh, a ’70s-inspired Elvis lookalike; and Georgie Mabbett Kelly as the narrator.
Jasmita Zara Singh,16, from Eden College, Durban, plays Levi’s wife.
“I have been on stage since I was 5. I love every part of it, whether it is acting, singing, or dancing. Nothing compares to the feeling I get when I am on stage. At Eden College, we perform an annual production directed by Jean van Elden, my amazing preparatory drama teacher, who involved the whole school in the show.
“That was when I first realised I had a fiery passion for drama. Since then I have performed in Mauritius, Austria and Cape Town. I can’t put in words how grateful I am for all these opportunities that my school has provided and that my parents have funded.
“Nothing compares to the rush of adrenalin just before I go onto stage and being able to dive into a world that is far bigger than my own, as well as the lifelong friendships that are created between the cast and the numerous inside jokes during the countless hours we spend together during rehearsals.”
Jasmita said her current drama teacher, Kirsten Lee Smith, encouraged her and her best friend, Vongai Mubaiwa, to audition for “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”.
“I am grateful that she pushed us because the experience has been life changing. I play Levi’s wife. I’ve learnt so much in the past few months, while having the best time ever. Being surrounded by people who have the same interests and the same fiery passion is an amazing feeling. The environment that YPP has created is unreal. We have all become a family. I am grateful that my parents gave me the go-ahead to take part in this production.
“This is my first YPP show. One of things I love is the exposure to a professional environment and to professional performers. As young performers, we have a lot to learn and working side by side with experienced, successful performers has taught me so much.
“The environment Des Govender and Sisi Man have created in the rehearsal room is unmatched. It is a bubbly, productive, safe environment. Another amazing thing about YPP are the people; the young performers. I have formed so many strong friendships over the course of these past five months.”
Her mother, Preya Singh, said: “All three of our daughters have enjoyed drama and the arts since they were in prep school. It has helped make them more self-confident, self-reliant and self-assured. It has also helped them find their own unique voices and personalities. It improved their verbal and non-verbal communication skills and people often comment on how impressive they find our kids’ maturity and emotional intelligence.”
Des Govender, the music director for “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”, said the objective of the YPP was to develop talented high school youth in the art of musical theatre, under the guidance of industry experts. This, he said, was while promoting cross-cultural friendships and interpersonal skills. In the process, Govender said this developed a pool of young performers for the future of arts and culture in South Africa.
“A personal experience in a professional environment allows our talented youth to learn about commitment, discipline and achievement that will carry them through to adulthood with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Life skills learnt include discipline, commitment, interpersonal skills and social cohesion.
“YPP has launched the careers of many professionals in the industry and even for those who don't turn professional, YPP is a family of cemented friendships. The beautiful social cohesion on stage forms the foundation of a healthy society,” said Govender.
* Book for all the 2023 KickstArt productions at Computicket. Tickets for “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” are available via Webtickets.