Theatre piece Inyelane rehearsals wind up

Entertainment Editor
Amakhosi Theatre’s Thembi Ngwabi and South Africa born Sabelo Ngema’s theatre piece, Inyelane, a musical on the impact of the arrival of Cecil John Rhodes’ Pioneer Column in this country, will be out of the rehearsal room tomorrow.
The play was written and is being produced by Cont Mhlanga, while Ngema composes and directs the music with Ngwabi directing the musical. Ngwabi and Ngema are both doing the musical’s choreography.
Mhlanga said the first four weeks of rehearsals were coming to an end tomorrow and this would be followed by a performance at the cultural centre on 2 March at 6.30pm. They would use this opportunity to see where they could improve the play.
“Admission is free at this Braai Dinner Performance. Audiences need to come ready to dine while they enjoy the presentation,” he said.
Mhlanga said the second four weeks of the rehearsals had been pencilled for the rest of this month where 10 selected artistes who are graduates from the Mbongeni Ngema Academy in Durban SA, would join the rehearsal camp in Bulawayo.
Ngwabi is a graduate of the Amakhosi Arts Academy and is the head of training at the same institution. After her stint with the once popular all-female band Amakhosikazi she formed her own band AbakaGogo. Sabelo is a graduate of the Mbongeni Ngema Academy. He is the entertainment manager at Moyo uShaka in Durban and with prolific music producer Sergeant Malishe he co-founded Ikabawo Entertainment.
Ngema is the son of the legendary music theatre genius Mbongeni Ngema and is leader of his own band Afrosoul who have two albums, UmAfrica and Usemncane. Their third album will be released in April. Music and theatre are his passion and he has starred in the following productions; Woza My Fohloza, (2002) Stimela Sase Zola (2003), The Zulu (2004), Sarafina  (1993-94) and (2004-05), The Living Legend (2008); Lion of the East (2009) and Beyond for the soccer world cup (2010).
His specialties are composing, choreography and teaching.
Ngwabi is a prolific theatre and film actress, dancer, bass guitarist and musician with one album Zhopembe to her credit. She is working on her second album which will be released in next year.
This globally travelled artiste’s speciality is teaching, acting, composing, dance and playing instruments. She is directing a musical for the first time. Thembi, popularly known as uGogo to her fans and students, has starred in the award winning Amakhosi and Rooftop productions, Nansi leNdoda (1989), Hoyaya Ho! (1990), Mdawini (1990) Stitsha (1991); Victims And Witnesses (1991); Jazzman (1992); Iluba loThando (1993), The African Struggle (1993), Makanya (1993-96), Lamhla Layizolo (1994), The Members (1994), Sigxobunyawo (1995), Somkhence (1996), Yebo Africa (1997). In 1999 she appeared in Brooms; Keep In Touch (2001), Two Cheers For A Patriot (2003), Screams and Tears (2004),  Pregnant With Emotions (2005), Mbulu Makhasane (2005), Lysistrata (2005) and The Chosen One (2006) among others.
Mhlanga said Ngema and Ngwabi would be holding joint events to launch their albums in Durban, Harare and Bulawayo between their collaborative working schedules on the production of Inyelane.
The musical employs 37 artistes and production crew from the three arts academies of Amakhosi, Iyasa and Ngema.
He said this partnership was in line with the Bulawayo-Durban twinning arrangement to foster co-operation and trade between the two cities that share the same culture and similar history.
“Amakhosi and Ngema Academies are forging links to develop performance arts talent and jointly tell the many               untold African stories of the continent’s legendary heroes,” Mhlanga said.