Cohort: Trainees

Asanda Rilityana trained at the Arts and Media Access Centre (AMAC) in 2005 and 2006. She has worked as a professional actress for the Take Away Theatre Company. Asanda performed in Ijamile Lendaba (2008) and The Blind Man’s Judgement (2010) both directed by Thami Mbongo; and is cast in Amaza at Artscape (2010) directed by Itumeleng Wa-Lehulere.

Nandipha Mnyuka trained at AMAC in 2007. She has worked as a performer and facilitator with Simelela, as well as at Artscape in Amaza in 2009 and again in 2010. In 2009 she acted in the 48 Hour Festival in Zithini Indaba directed by Lifa Letsika.

Phumza Tshem trained at AMAC in 2005 and 2007. Since then she has worked on a number of projects, most notably with directors Itumeleng Wa-Lehure and Mfundo Tshazibane.

Luvo Tamba trained at AMAC in 2007. In 2008 he worked on the production The Last Breath at the Ikhwezi Festival at the Baxter Theatre. In 2010 he appeared in The Blind Man’s Judgement directed by Thami Mbongo for the Ikwezi Festival. Luvo has been cast in Amaza at Artscape directed by Itumeleng Wa-Lehulere. He is a member of Bonfire Theatre Company.

Thumeka Mzayiya trained with AMAC in 2004 and 2007. Since then she has been working with Simelela, a community theatre group. She performed at the Ikhwezi Festival at the Baxter Theatre in 2008 and Baxter Dance Festival (2008), and won Best actress at the 48 Hour Festival 2009 for a production directed by Mfundo Tshazibane.

Themba Nqinileyo has worked with the Community Theatre group Isibane from 2006-2009. He was a teacher in the Youth Leadership Training Programme in April 2008, and he has also worked as an Assistant Yoga Teacher at Sakumlandela Primary School. Themba is a member of Bonfire Theatre Company.

Margie Pankhurst (Administrator) graduated from UCT with a Performer’s Diploma in 1983. She worked as an actress both in Cape Town and Johnannesburg, also as an Actor’s Agent and she owned her own Casting Director’s business for nine years. Margie worked for Artscape between 2005 and 2009, when she joined Magnet Theatre.

Thando Doni (Training Assistant), multi-talented theatre-maker, learned his craft at the Media and Arts Access Centre (AMAC) and with Magnet Theatre. He has performed extensively with Magnet Theatre, including with The Grave, Trojan Horse Story, Looking Inside (commissioned by the Human Rights Media Centre), national tours of Inxeba lomphilisi and Ingcwaba lendoda lise cankwe ndlela; in Nicola Elliott’s Proximity, Loss and Having; and at the Bushfire Festival in Swaziland. Doni has also worked with the Actors Voice Theatre Company, Masibambisane Youth Theatre Organisation, Emlanjeni Theatre Productions, and the Manyanani Entertainers. The Capetonian is a resident actor at Bonfire Theatre Company. Nominated as Best Director at the Baxter’s Zabalaza Theatre Festival in 2011, Doni won Best Director in 2011 for Mhla Salamana and GIPCA director’s bursary winner in 2012. Most recently he has directed the play Passage and is a training facilitator in the Magnet Theatre Training and Job creation program.

Zwelakhe Khuse (Culture Gangs Fieldworker) from Khayelitsha graduated from University of Cape Town Drama School in 2009. His career in drama started while in high school as a member of the Iselwa Lisizwe Theatre group. He was introduced to Magnet theatre through the Community Groups Intervention (CGI) workshops facilitated by Mandla Mbotwe. In the CGI he performed in the plays “The Tears of our Ancestors” and “3 Rats” (2007 and 2008) and Isivuno Samaphupho. At UCT he acted in the Shakespeare play “Love Labours Lost”, (Studio, 2011) and directed an untitled movement piece. He has also worked as director in the Magnet Theatre Educational and Job Creation program directing the plays Forgotten Citizens in 2012 and Waiting in 2013. Zwelakhe has worked for Magnet Theatre from 2012 till now as the facilitator in the community groups in a project Culture Gangs.

Anelisa Dlaku (Intern) is 23 years old and lives in Delft South. She was a member of the Rainbow Arts Organisation, and a Magnet Theatre trainee in 2012/13. She had a baby in 2012 and started to split her training between office duties and performance skills classes. She is now doing a Management Assistant short course at the College of Cape Town.