Who we are: a community theatre musical

The Train-the-trainer project took place in 2023. It is a a collaborative project led by South Roots International and including ARROWSA,  Bechet High and Mel: arts, culture and heritage and partially funded by NLC.

                      ARROWSA–Bechet High–Sydenham team perform Who we are in Cape Town as facilitated by SRI

The project empowered communities by transferring the South Roots Int. (SRI) community theatre method, devised by Shanette Martin, to trainees within five communities–four from the Cape Flats and one from Sydenham Durban. It was with this community that ARROWSA assisted with coordination of the project.  The two trainees from Durban, who also directed the Sydenham production, were Noluthando Shandu and Monique Mukendi who are both ARROWSA Bechet alumni who trained under Mr Bheki Dlamini. Noluthando Shandu is also a South Roots Int. alumni and has assisted in the MeL: arts, culture and heritage programmes at the Bergtheil Musuem. ARROWSA facilitated the use of Bechet High for rehearsals and ARROWSA management performing arts portfolio leader Mr Dlamini facilitated between ARROWSA and Bechet High. Mary Lange of MeL: arts, culture and heritage coordinated the administrative part of the Durban hub for ARROWSA and SRI.

                               The ARROWSA—Bechet–SRI–Sydenham team rehearsing for their performance in Durban

Noluthando and Monique went to Cape Town for training with SRI and met the trainees from the other hubs. In October 2023 Monique and Noluthando led the Sydenham group to Cape Town where they performed their community theatre musical that they had devised titled 'Who we are' in a professional theatre. The trip to Cape Town was funded by parents, friends, family, SRI and Mr Bechet. SRI sponsored all the accommodation and food for the trip. Two ARROWSA alumni and SRI members, Angela Del Fava and Rachelle Mukendi joined in the Sydenham performance as it is their home town.

On the 16 December, Reconciliation Day, the Sydenham team will perform at the UKZN Studio 5 theatre. Prof Miranda Young-Jahangeer, head of ARROWSA creative arts portfolio, and professor in performing arts facilitated the use of the theatre and sponsored the technical equipment.