Hout Bay’s Ingoma Choir and Amoyo Performing Arts Foundation have joined forced to represent Hout Bay at the National Arts Festival in the Eastern Cape next month.
They plan to unveil their new musical, Nitasubiri (I Will Wait), after being selected to perform at the National Arts Festival Fringe in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) at the end of next month.
But to do this, they need to raise about R50 000 to cover accommodation, food, costumes, venue hire and more.
Choir manager and founder Tanya Blacher called on Hout Bay to support their latest venture.
“With about a month to go, we need the support of the Hout Bay community to raise a further R50 000. Your support is crucial in helping us bring this heartfelt story to the stage.”
The choir, led by Lunathi Ncamani, was founded in 2017, celebrating the beauty of traditional African choral music. Its members range in age from 17 to 45.
The new production, which is written, directed, and choreographed by Mandisa Qwesha, tells a coming-of-age story set in a 1980s rural township, exploring a father-daughter relationship as Afrika anticipates her 18th birthday and her father’s return from the mines.
“Ingoma and Amoyo share a commitment to using performing arts to uplift the community of Imizamo Yethu,” Ms Blacher said.
The Amoyo Performing Arts Foundation uses dance, speech and drama, and singing and musical theatre to inspire and uplift young people. Its after-school and holiday programmes support vulnerable children from Grade 1 to matric, helping to build their confidence and resilience.
“Preparing for this production is an enormous learning curve for all of us involved, but over and above this, the impact this opportunity will have on all our performers, both the adults and Amoyo children, will be life-changing,” said Kim Conley, the foundation’s director.
“This is how we at Amoyo strive to make a difference to childhoods, but I think it is really important for people to know that the members of the Ingoma Choir are our local petrol attendants, shop cashiers, housekeepers, clinic workers.”
Ms Conley said they had launched a fund-raising drive to cover accommodation, transport, production and food costs and venue hire for 30 people for five days.
“We are also looking for loan of props and costumes,“ she said.
Donations can be made through givengain or by emailing info@ingoma.co.za
“When you support this production you are supporting ‘opportunity’, you are supporting ‘equal opportunities’ you are supporting making a dream come true for someone so deserving. Thank you for any donations you can make – big or small,” Ms Conley said.
