Up-and-coming thespian Thabiso Newman (21) of Nekkies may have jumped the gun previously when he thought he had already landed an appearance in 7de Laan for winning the Best Actor Award at the Eden Festival, also really qualified for an audition to appear in the popular soapie.
In the next round of competing, at the Suidoosterfees, Newman once again won the title of Best Actor and as such will soon fly to Johannesburg to audition for 7de Laan.
Life After Hurt starring actor, the multi-talented Newman, also wrote the play. What made their achievement even more remarkable, was that they had lost one of their main actors, Sesethu Mhle on January 12, who unexpectedly passed away after complaining of a headache. This forced the director of the play, Siya Marinana, to have to take his place.
"It had been a while since I had been on stage myself," says Marinana. "But I knew most of the words and I couldn't have been too bad, because I got nominated as Best Supporting Actor," he chuckled.
Marinana says his stress levels peaked minutes before their last and final performance, when to his utter dismay, he discovered that their CD for their background music had broken.
"it was my own carelessness because I just carried it in my bag without a protective cover. There was a piece of the CD which had completely broken off and it was 15 minutes or so before we had to be on stage! I was too frightened to even tell the guy who was coordinating everything as people were already standing at the door, ready to take their seats in the theatre and they had paid for their tickets."
Marinana tried in vain to get their music to play, sending a desperate prayer for divine intervention.
"God was with us! Sjoe! I gave the broken CD, which had refused to play, to the guy to put into the Artscape system and it played! I kept holding my breath, but it kept on playing as if nothing was wrong, song after song! That was a miracle!"
Four talented community theatre groups were promoted on the professional stage at the Eden/ Cape Winelands Drama Festival finale held at the Artscape Arena Hall in Cape Town on January 31. Hosted by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) and others, the festival is an annual showcase at Suidoosterfees for emerging talents to present their work on stage.
"Thabiso was up to his old game - he was great and the audience loved us! It was incredible to see the love people in Cape Town have for the arts and how they come out to support you. When our group won, everyone stood up and applauded! I was so glad because another group, Vangnet, had also been really talented and I wasn't that sure at all that we would win again."
This event was preceded by two drama festivals in the Eden and Cape Winelands regions.Two winners from each district were chosen to represent their regions at this year’s Suidoosterfees. With drama opportunities often limited in rural areas, group performers used this festival to make their mark. DCAS and its partners are committed to promoting and developing local drama groups.
DCAS Arts and Culture director Jane Moleleki said the groups made their communities proud. “Every group who performed on the stage can only grow to greater heights from here onwards. This is just the beginning of a promising acting career for many.”
Thami Mbongo of the Baxter Theatre said he would invite all four groups to perform at the Zabalaza Festival next month.
Ubumnandi Bethu will also perform Life After Hurt at the 2014 Absa Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunsteweek (KKNK) in Oudtshoorn. (Thabiso Newman did not pitch for his interview scheduled with the Knysna-Plett Herald, only the director, Siya Marinana. However, Marinana escorted Newman to the KPH office at a later stage to apologise. "I had a headache", said. Newman.)
And he does it again! Knysna thespian Thabiso Newman (21) of the local drama group, Ubumnandi Bethu, has once again been awarded the title of Best Actor, this time at the Suidoosterfees in Cape Town. Here he is seen performing with Sikhanyiso Magodla in Life After Hurt, a play he wrote himself.
ARTICLE: ANOESCHKA VON MECK, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD JOURNALIST
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