Cohort: MTYC 2024

Karabo Hope Banda is an actor, singer and digital performance art maker who hails from a small town in Limpopo called Northam. She graduated from the University of Cape Town with Honours in Theatre and Performance (2023). Before UCT, she spent two years as a student and freelance artist in The South African State Theatre and was also part of the State Theatre Youth Choir. She has been in productions such as, The Crucible, White Noise, Reën Bloed Nasie, Conversations with my Mother, The Tides in Me(dea), Ezemiphefumlo, The Trials and many others. Her interests as a performance maker lies in the use of poetic language and music to bring stories to life.

Sanele Phillip is a 25-year-old theatre maker born and bred in the Eastern Cape, where she discovered her passion for forms of art that include acting, singing, voice acting, poetry and writing for performance.

In 2022, Sanele completed her Bachelor of Arts majoring in Journalism and Drama at Rhodes University where she further honed her performance skills on and off the stage. She has had an honour to be a part of South African composer, singer and songwriter Msaki’s team for her Platinumb Heart Exhibition earlier in the year 2022. In the same year, she performed on the National Arts Festival stage for the first time where she and her team were awarded a Silver Standard Bank Standing Ovation award for a devised play titled Jikijela which was directed by Khanya Ngcuka under the Rhodes University Drama Department. She then went on to be a part of the 2023 KwaSha! Theatre Company under the Market Theatre Foundation and is now a part of the Magnet Youth Company under Magnet Theatre.

She thinks of theatre as a safe space for creative minds to play, express and explore while creating a platform for healing.

Lusanda Soboyise is a theatre and film actor, singer, dancer, writer, and visual artist currently based in Cape Town. She received her first performance training in 2019 at the Rainbow Academy school of Performing Arts and Business, where she obtained her qualification in Music Theatre- Trinity College London, Drama in Production- Trinity College London, Life Skills, and Business.

She later graduated in 2020 before starting her studies at the University of Cape Town where she was specialising in Theatre and Performances and graduated in March 2023 class of 2022.

She has portrayed many roles such as, Xoli in Parallel directed by Sinezile Matutu, the singer in Love of the Nightingale directed by Mbongeni Mtshali and Mwenya Kabwe, Mesuli in Ezemiphefumlo (of the souls) directed by Mandla Mbothwe and Chuma Sopotela and many more, including the Musicals; Dreamgirls and Chicago where she was Deena Jones and Liz. She recently did Industrial Theatre with the StageFright company. She was also part of the 2023 Early Years Incubation at Magnet Theatre.

Melusi Mnqobi Molefe is A consumate perfomer, Emerging writer & Theatre-Maker and a proud graduate of the Market Theatre Laboratory’s Full time program and was was named as a recepient of the annual ACT|DALRO|Nedbank acting Acting scholarship in 2019 before joining Kwasha!Theatre company and later as a student of the Performimg Arts at Tshwane Univeristy of Technology where he majored in Physical theatre and Voice. Under Karima Lemmer, Isana Maseko, Gifter Ngobeni & Jenine Lewis.

In 2019 his class won Best Ensemble and Best Tertiary Incubation for Koleka Putuma’s play No Easter Sunday for Queers and Sylvain Strike and Gina Schmukler’s play Eclipsed Phifalo ya Ngwedi, about Life Esidimeni.

Melusi takes great pride in having received mentoring from notable figures in the industry, including Monageng Motshabi, Omphile Molusi, Alex Haligey for voice work, and Mongiwekhaya for screen acting.

Melusi has most recently been giving performances as part of Magnet Theatre’s Early years incubation since 2023 around Cape Town schools. He is currently touring the Northern Cape with ‘Mina Thina’ Directed by Jennie Reznek. He is part of the Magnet Theatre Youth Company And is represented by MLA casting Agency

Emmanuel Nkosiphendule Ntsamba is a Cape Town based actor, physical theatre performer and a singer. Emmanuel is a Magnet Theatre graduate, under the supervision of Mark Fleishman and Jennie Reznek. He has performed in “Uhlazo”, which was written and directed by Loyiso Damoyi, and won the Best of Zabalaza in 2011. He performed in the musical “Unborn”, by Thami Mbongo in 2012.”Bash or Be Bashed” (2013), written and directed by Thoko Ntshinga. In 2014, he went on to train at Magnet Theatre for 3 years. He performed in “Ukhanyo” written and directed by Thando Doni. In 2015, he was part of the production “City of Paradise” by Mark Fleishman. In 2017, after he graduated from Magnet Theatre, he performed in a show called “Aha!”, which toured in Germany, Beijing, Shangai and Shendu. He was also part of the show called “Kudu”, which won 3 awards at the 54th Annual Fleur Du Cap Awards. He later was part of Nwabisa Plaatjie’s “23 Years A Month and 7 Days”, which also did well and toured in Germany in 2017. The show also had a run at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival in 2018.

Yvonne Msebenzi is a theatre maker, facilitator, actress and wellness fitness coach based in Cape Town. Yvonne was introduced to theatre at a young age under the mentorship of Zoleka Helesi, Thami Mbongo and Bongile Mantsai. She is a qualified physical theatre performer who trained at the Magnet Theatre, where she has been involved in Early Childhood performance that have toured abroad..Yvonne has also studied the art of puppetry at UNIMA South Africa. She was nominated as the Best New Comer at the Zabalaza Fringe Festival 2012 for Intlebendwane Puppetry Show. She is well-known as the artist that possess the fire element of the Black Pearls Afro-soul group under Elvis Sibeko Records, mentored by Zimbini Makwetu. She has shared the stage with Zolani Mahola, and Buhlebendalo. She is currently part of Magnet Theatre’s Youth Company 2024.

Mihlali Bele, a resident of Gugulethu in Cape Town, is a distinguished graduate of the Magnet Theatre Training Programme, proudly showcasing her skills in acting, singing, voice narration, and object manipulation, particularly in the art of puppetry. With a knack for mask work, she has left her mark in notable productions such as “The Good Soul of Szeshuan” and collaborated on an installation with Tracy Rose at the esteemed Zeitz Mocca. She has been part of the award winning (Fleur Du Cap) ensemble for the production Oedipus At Colonus #AfterSophocles, and the Fleur Du Cap nominated puppetry production, Surge. Mihlali has worked with amazing directors such as Mark Fleishman, Mandla Mbothwe, Jennie Reznek, Roshina Ratnam etc.

Passionate about the transformative power of music, Bele possesses a natural talent for blending vocal sounds to evoke emotional expression and tell captivating stories. Beyond her own artistic pursuits, she finds joy in teaching and sharing her knowledge, eager to inspire and guide aspiring artists.

Bele has made notable strides in screen acting, having worked on the acclaimed series “Blood & Water,” under the direction of Mmabatho Montsho. This experience has further solidified her versatility and commitment to her craft.

Buhle T. Stefane, age 23 years old, matriculated in 2014. He started dancing in 2008 in Arts of Modelers dance company in which on 2015, he became one of the choreographers of the company. In 2019, he became KASI RC choreographer. He graduated from Chyrisalis/ Jazzart dance and leadership program. With KASI RC, he performed at Fugard theatre on “Ezothando’, an adaption of Romeo and Juliet. He also performed at the Baxter Dance festival and Jazzart season at Artscape. He dramatized ‘Nyana womgquba’ a solo piece he performed at Artscape on KAAPSE DANSE SOLO 2019 and Diary kaMfana – a two hander show performed at Kasi RC. House of Collaboration is one of the suidoosterefees 2020r semi-finalists.  He is a graduate of the FTJCP 2023. He has been nominated by the Fleur du Cap Awards for the Most Promising Student in 2023 and won Best Director at the Zabalaza festival in 2023