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A MUTARE-based actress, Amanda Ranganawa, will later this year storm into the American movie industry by enrolling at a renowned arts school, American Academy of Dramatic Arts, after she was awarded a scholarship to study towards an Honours Degree in Acting for stage and screen in the US.
Upon completing the two-year training programme, the 25-year-old actress will be attached to producers and directors to work with in Hollywood.
Although Hollywood is a community within the city of Los Angeles in US, it is also a term that refers to the film industry because of a number of film studios which were established in the community. The journey started in November last year when Ranganawa attended the International Theatre Institute 35th World Congress held in Armenia.
“At the congress, I met an American theatre practitioner who gave me a theatre magazine with American Art Schools and I applied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. I was called for an interview and did my audition in South Africa. I succeeded and made it into the academy. The academy is one of the finest acting schools in the US with two campuses in Los Angeles,” she said.
Ranganawa who was supposed to have commenced training this January, was deterred by financial challenges and is scheduled to start in September.
She extended a begging bowl to stakeholders and individuals.
“The American Academy of Dramatic Arts was offering a scholarship but it’s not a full scholarship. It’s offering $8 000 and my school fees per year is $53 000 hence I am looking for a sponsor,” she said.
The ambitious and talented actress said she was inspired by Nollywood actresses, Genevieve Nnaji and Patience Ozokwor.
Ranganawa (25) is a holder of an Honours Degree in Theatre acquired at the University of Zimbabwe. After graduating, she won several Theatre awards. She established an Arts School in Mutare, which had 40 aspiring actors and actresses, but she failed to sustain the centre because of financial difficulties.
“After varsity, the real world showed me that arts and theatre in Zimbabwe are not a stroll in the park. I established a school of arts and directed several short films such as “Mugapu renyama imheremhere” which was premiered at arts centre Courtauld Theatre.
“Again I could not sustain the project, because of lack of funding. It is quite sad that a lot of aspiring actors and actresses approach me with their CVs looking for jobs, but I have nothing to offer them but a dream,” added the 25-year-old Ranganawa.
She paid tribute to her mum, a widow and youth counsellor in Nyanyadzi who nurtured her dream.
Online Reporter