Young creatives in Limpopo stand to gain arts skills through workshops in celebration of veteran actor Arthur Molepo’s 50 years in the sector
This is as leading names in the sector Nandi Nyembe, Alistair Mbuso Dube, Xoli Norman, Josias Moleele, Neo M. Matsunyane, Annelie Chanza, Sonto Nhlapo, Boitumelo Mothabela and Nobamba Zulu join him in conducting these the workshops.
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor
Young people interested in the entertainment and cultural industry stand to benefit from a series of workshops that will be rolled out in Limpopo soon that have been put together by a Non-Profit organisation Nkgo Ya Metsi(NPO” in celebration of veteran actor Arthur Molepo’s 50 years in the entertainment and cultural sector.
Headed by celebrated actor and director Mpho Seloaboshego Molepo, the workshops that also see a solid collaboration between the oragnisationNkgo Ya Metsi NPOand other partners that include NLC (National Lotteries Commission), Molepo Theatre Projects, NYDA (National Youth Development Agency and Shandalea Collegehas roped in a powerful list of facilitators, who are leading names in the cultural and entertainment sector in the country spanning TV and stage. The workshops commence on August 29, 2024 and will conclude on September 2024 (Please see the poster for dates and venues).
It is with great pleasure to announce that Nkgo Ya Metsi NPO, led by Mpho Seloaboshego Molepo, will be visiting the province of Limpopo in spring to do Arts Skills and Development Workshops,” the organisers announced this week.
Mpho is an Actor, an independent producer and the son to veteran Actor Arthur Molepo.
This workshop programme, is a celebration of Arthur Molepo’s 50 years of contribution in the theatre and film industry, and he’ll be sharing his journey and knowledge with the people of Limpopo, the orgnisationreaveled.
Molepo who’s acting career started professionally when he joined Workshop 71 at Wits Theatre under Robert Mshengu Kavanagh. He then joined Junction Avenue Theatre company in 1976, where he performed and participated in workshops that created plays such Security, Marabi, Sisyphus, Sophiatown, Tooth and Nail, Randlords and Rotgut and Love Crime and Johannesburg. Arthur worked with many directors like Malcolm Purkey, Barney Simon, James Mthoba and Selalelo Maredi. He starred in many theatre productions by various renowned playmakers that made him to travel the world, Starbrites, Lakutshona Ilanga, Scotched Earth, The Daughter Of Nebo, Othello, The Dance Of Death, The Piano Lesson, Nongogo, Sizwe Bansi Is Dead, Woyzeck On The Highveld, The Story I Am About To Tell, Black Age, Macbeki, We Shall Sing For The Fatherland, etc
As a solo writer, Arthur penned The Diary (A play about women abuse), which won FNB Vita Award in 1998. In 2012 he penned another play Mama I Want The Black That You Are, (a play about the plight of people with Albinism, that raised a lot of eyebrows, the production got the attention of the deputy minister of social development then HendriettaBogopane Zulu and Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa. The two of them supported the production to be on a national tour for schools and selected theatre houses from 2018 – 2019.
Molepo’s television and film roles, include Wheel and Deals, Skeem Saam, Generations, Going Up, Sibongile, Soul City II, Kelebone, The Storekeeper, Mapantsula, Orlando, The Lab, 2020 Orlando East, Rhythm City, SokhuluAnd Partners, 90 Plein Street, Hijack Stories, etc.
Arthur is also a musician, he scored music for most of the theatre productions he starred in and for many corporate theatre that he wrote and performed in.
People always go to the big city (Johannesburg), seeking knowledge and opportunities to be in the arts. With this project, Nkgo Ya Metsi would like to plough back to the people of Limpopo, in communities that are almost forgotten when coming to opportunities.
Nkgo Ya Metsi invited a few of professionals in the arts, to join Arthur Molepo in sharing knowledge, skills and development in community groups in the area of Turfloop and Ga Molepo.
Joining Nkgo Ya Metsi on this exciting spring Arts Skills and Training Workshop will be Arthur Molepo, Nandi Nyembe, Alistair Mbuso Dube, Xoli Norman, Josias Moleele, Neo M. Matsunyane, Annelie Chanza, Sonto Nhlapo, Boitumelo Mothabela and Nobamba Zulu.