After fifteen years of crafting poetry and stage performances that are challenging, celebratory and boundary breaking, Napo Masheane is set to record a live DVD of new work at the Joburg Theatre this November.
Poetry Potion has witnessed Napo’s poetry experiences My Bum is Genetic, so Deal With It! and Fat Black Woman Sing which were semi-biographical in nature but also explored body issues, sisterhood, identity themes all women can relate to.
This time, Napo will take us on a journey with words, music and dance with inspirations and collaborations with jazz as well as Basotho Famo music. This is going to be a poetry show like we have never seen before so we will be there once more to witness Napo making herstory.
Trust, you do not want to miss this.
Press Release
Village Gossip Productions in association with The Youth Development Department at Joburg Theatre
Presents
Napo Masheane, a celebrated Spoken Word artist is poised to set the stage alight with her latest creative work, a carefully crafted stage collaboration for a first of its kind DVD recording titled: ‘Napo Masheane Live @ Joburg Theatre‘. This evocative poet with a sharp and inspired voice for fusing Sesotho and English in her poetry will bring to the stage for two evenings only, the unique rhythms from the Mountains of Qwaqwa to the City of Johannesburg.
Napo Masheane has been crafting a body of work over the past 15 years that aims to stretch the boundaries of traditional and contemporary culture. This stage performance sees Napo Masheane collaborating with ‘Women In Music‘, an all-female band that incorporates African Music, Jazz, Soul and World Music including Salsa, Samba, Reggae and a fusion of Gospel. Napo Masheane will also feature on stage ‘Buhle‘, a Mosotho Famo musician whose popular sound from Lesotho consists of singing accompanied by accordion (Koriana). ‘Napo Masheane Live @ Joburg Theatre‘ takes audiences on a journey of words, music and dance layering Napo Masheane‘s poetry against a landscape of traditional roots and contemporary dreams. Transforming the spoken word into a tapestry of creative arts for the ears, the eyes, the heart and the soul. The DVD will be released in 2015.
Napo Masheane has contributed generously in the industry as a playwright, poet and theatre director. A founding member of the pioneering spoken word collective ‘Feela Sistah!, she has continued to produce works including: ‘Caves Speak In Metaphor‘ and ‘Fat Black Woman Song‘ independently published poetry books, her one woman play ‘My Bum Is Genetic Deal With It‘ toured internationally as well as her musical stage production, ‘The Fat Black Women Sing‘. Additional theatre credits include; ‘Mollo – The Woman In Me‘ at the Joburg Theatre, ‘Hair & Comb‘ and ‘Street Light With Lips‘ with University of Pretoria (Drama Department). Her most recent and yet to be produced stage play, ‘A New Song‘ was developed as part of the Royal Court of London’s 2014 Play Writing Program.
‘Napo Masheane Live @ Joburg Theatre‘ is an independently produced theatre production intrepidly working to develop and fortify the Spoken Word and the stage arts in a time when sponsorship and branded support of the arts has become increasing difficult. Napo Masheane has tirelessly pursued her craft by independent producing fresh and thought provocking theatre shows. Through this production, Masheane will also incorporate a mentorship program for ten young people who form part of the Joburg Theatre’s incubation program for under privileged art base in pursuing the theatre arts. These youth will be mentored by stage managers, producers, front of house, lighting designers, filmmakers and sound and technical crew in order to gain valuable industry experience.
“Napo Masheane Live @ Joburg Theatre” is on at the Fringe, Joburg Theatre. 28 and 29 November @ 20H00 (sharp) Tickets are R150.00
(For tickets you can call or visit) 0861 670 670/ www.joburgtheatre.com or can also buy them at any pick ‘n pay in Soweto (Maponya Mall) NB: Napo Masheane’s Poetry books will be available for sale at R120.00
For media enquiries contact: Viva Liles-Wilkin [email protected] or 0763270154/ Dee Leshika [email protected]/ 082 690 7549
*photos courtesy of Village Gossip Productions