A King William’s Town-based arts academy that only started functioning last year will be showing its first production at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival this year.
The Centre Stage Arts Academy is the brainchild of Abongile Manka, who said the establishment of the academy was a calling she had had since she was in high school.
She said the theatre production Woman Thou Art Loosed, which will be staged at the festival, is a production about perseverance and hope.
Manka, who wrote, directed and produced the production said the title was from Luke 13:12, the Bible verse which sees Jesus healing a women who was hunched from a feeling of inferiority.
“So He sees her and He releases this phrase ‘Woman Thou Art Loosed’ and prays for her, and she is healed,” said Manka.
She said the story was written from a female point of view as she had personal encounters and experiences through other women she has met of being tied down emotionally.
“Although the woman in the Bible is physically bowed, woman experience things that cause them to feel drained emotionally and act out in a certain way to try and hide the emotional scars.
“Some put on a brave face but some become stagnant and just lose it,” she said.
Manka, who is also a TruFM presenter, said the story explored the lives of four characters of different ages and from different backgrounds with the message that every woman has a story.
The production has a cast of five, all residing in King William’s Town, and ranging from nine years old to 25.
“I had auditions at the beginning of the year for two weeks. Only one from the academy, Analo Sigwabe, made it through.
“Most of our talent is in matric this year so they couldn’t audition and chose to concentrate on their studies this year, which we support,” she said.
Manka said she had had a passion for drama from a very young age and that she promised God that if He gave her the opportunity to study for the arts, she would open an arts centre for Him in King William’s Town.
“I got into arts school to study a dramatic arts degree at the University of Pretoria.
“When I look back it was God’s grace that I got in as I did not fit the criteria to get in.
“Yes, I was talented but I was not exposed to the arts like some of my fellow class mates,” said Manka.
She said the Eastern Cape has so much talent, but little was done to enhance that talent, unlike provinces like Gauteng and Cape Town.
“We are lacking something when it comes to art. We treat it as a hobby, something a child will outgrow and not to be taken seriously,” she said.
Woman Thou Art Loosed will be showing at the Dicks Theatre in Grahamstown from July 4 until July 7.
But the show will be premiering at the Steve Biko Centre in Ginsberg on July 1 at 6pm. Entrance is free. — ziphon@dispatch.co.za
Ready to unLoose King talent in Grahamstown
The Centre Stage Arts Academy is the brainchild of Abongile Manka, who said the establishment of the academy was a calling she had had since she was in high school.
She said the theatre production Woman Thou Art Loosed, which will be staged at the festival, is a production about perseverance and hope.
Manka, who wrote, directed and produced the production said the title was from Luke 13:12, the Bible verse which sees Jesus healing a women who was hunched from a feeling of inferiority.
“So He sees her and He releases this phrase ‘Woman Thou Art Loosed’ and prays for her, and she is healed,” said Manka.
She said the story was written from a female point of view as she had personal encounters and experiences through other women she has met of being tied down emotionally.
“Although the woman in the Bible is physically bowed, woman experience things that cause them to feel drained emotionally and act out in a certain way to try and hide the emotional scars.
“Some put on a brave face but some become stagnant and just lose it,” she said.
Manka, who is also a TruFM presenter, said the story explored the lives of four characters of different ages and from different backgrounds with the message that every woman has a story.
The production has a cast of five, all residing in King William’s Town, and ranging from nine years old to 25.
“I had auditions at the beginning of the year for two weeks. Only one from the academy, Analo Sigwabe, made it through.
“Most of our talent is in matric this year so they couldn’t audition and chose to concentrate on their studies this year, which we support,” she said.
Manka said she had had a passion for drama from a very young age and that she promised God that if He gave her the opportunity to study for the arts, she would open an arts centre for Him in King William’s Town.
“I got into arts school to study a dramatic arts degree at the University of Pretoria.
“When I look back it was God’s grace that I got in as I did not fit the criteria to get in.
“Yes, I was talented but I was not exposed to the arts like some of my fellow class mates,” said Manka.
She said the Eastern Cape has so much talent, but little was done to enhance that talent, unlike provinces like Gauteng and Cape Town.
“We are lacking something when it comes to art. We treat it as a hobby, something a child will outgrow and not to be taken seriously,” she said.
Woman Thou Art Loosed will be showing at the Dicks Theatre in Grahamstown from July 4 until July 7.
But the show will be premiering at the Steve Biko Centre in Ginsberg on July 1 at 6pm. Entrance is free. — ziphon@dispatch.co.za
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