MAGNET THEATRE - Key Persons
Azola Mkhabile is an actor, director and a graduate from Makukhanye Art Room (MAKU-ASH). He was trained in theatre making and performing art by Mbulelo Grootbom and Mandisi Sindo. In 2015 he won the Best Actor award for The Klein Libertas Theatre Festival. His acting credits include Emerging Footprints directed by Nwabisa Plaatjie, Ingqumbo directed by Thando Doni, Bounced directed by Jennie Reznek and Jane Batzofin, iKrele leChiza …the sermon directed by Mandla Mbothwe, X-Attack directed by Mbulelo Grootbom and Mandisi Sindo, and Quest To Apartheid Laws directed by Zimasa May. He is a graduate of the Magnet Theatre's Fulltime Training and Job Creation Programme 2020- 2022.
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
Jennie Reznek (Artistic Director and Trustee) (BA Perf. Dip in Speech and Drama, UCT; Ecole Jaques Lecoq, Paris; MA ,UCT) is a graduate of University of Cape Town Drama school and studied in Paris with Jacques Lecoq for two years (1984 -1986). She is a director of Magnet Theatre and has lectured in movement at University of Cape Town. She has worked as an aerialist and clown in the circus; a movement director and choreographer; a puppeteer with Handspring Puppet Company and is responsible for the bulk of the creative and teaching programs of the company.
Job Titles:
- Administrator
- Operations Manager / Grant Administrator
Jenny Hewlett (Administrator) graduated from the University of Johannesburg with a Diploma in Fine Art. She worked as a set painter for Artscape (formerly CAPAB) and as a freelance artist and designer. Jenny was a business owner, a builder, a project manager and client manager before joining Magnet Theatre in June 2015.
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.
Mandla Mbothwe is an Artistic Director of Magnet Theatre and drives the Culture Gangs Programme. He is an acclaimed South African playwright, researcher, director, art teacher and theatre practitioner. A previous Artistic Director at the Steve Biko Centre and former Creative Manager at Artscape Theatre Centre he has created theatre productions of high quality, in South Africa and abroad, dealing with cultural and historical themes. Some of his noteworthy work includes Isivuno sa maphupha (Harvesting of dreams), Ingcwaba le ndoda lise cankwedlela (The grave of the man is next to the road), Umyenzo we zandi (Eden of sounds), Inxeba lo mphilisi (The wound of a healer), Voices of Women, Ukutshona ko Mendi (The sinking of the Mendi), Biko's Quest, G7-OkweBokwe, Biko-Rising and Iyazika to mention but few. The theatre stalwart has won several awards including the Handspring Puppetry Award for Best Visual Theatre (2010), Fleur du Cap Award with Mark Fleishman and Jennie Reznek for Innovation in Theatre (2010), Fleur du Cap Award for Innovation in Theatre (2013) and Eastern Cape Arts & Culture Award for Outstanding Contribution in Drama (2013). Mbothwe is a Founder and Artistic Director at Mud and Fire Parables. Lecturer and Researcher at the University of Cape Town, Co-Artistic director at Magnet Theatre and co-Artistic director at Mbothwe and Doni Collectives. He completed his master's degree in Theatre and Performance with distinction at University of Cape Town.
Job Titles:
- Artistic Director
- Managing Trustee
- Trustee
Mark Fleishman (Artistic Director and Managing Trustee) (BA, Perf. Dip (Speech and Drama) MA (UCT), PHD (UCT)) is Professor in the Drama Department at the University of Cape Town. He is an award winning director and has directed most of Magnet Theatre's productions since ‘The Shows Not Over 'til the Fat Lady Sings'. He also functions as a writer, not only of theatre texts but of many published academic articles, mainly on South African theatre and is an internationally respected theatre maker and academic.
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
Job Titles:
- Theatre Technician and Designer
Mluleki Titi is a Theatre technician and designer. He worked as technical intern at Artscape Theatre (2017 -2018), where he developed skills in lighting, sound, audio visuals, stage management, set designing, technical maintenance. As theatre technician I was fortunate to be technician for National Arts Festival 2019, where he worked with different actors and producers in vast shows. He also work as Technical Manager of Makukhanye art room 2020. He has 2 years working as technical assistant at Magnet Theatre where he focuses on lighting and sound, venue managing, stage management and production manager and assisting set designs.
Job Titles:
- Writer and Performance Artist
Smamkele Mentyisi is a writer and performance artist based in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. He holds a BA (Hons) in Theatre & Performance Studies (Majoring in Theatre Making) from the University of Cape Town. Smamkele's work explores queerness, masculinity and spirituality in a post-apartheid South Africa. Their work utilizes, sonic psychedelia, image collages, and performative installations. Smamkele has performed in Habashwe by Mthuthuzeli Zimba at ICA & Infecting the City (2019), Zimela Mzimela by Smamkele Mentyisi at UCT & Body Politics (2018), Intyatyambo Iyaphume Engxondorheni (Video) by Tandile Mbatsha at Live Art Arcade (2019), We-Define by Smamkele Mentyisi at Impulse CPT (2019), Lwandle: Phuza/Phalaza at Body Politics(2024), AMAHLAZO at Magnet Theatre (2024). Smamkele current works at Magnet Theatre as a facilitator/Learner Support.
Job Titles:
- Production Manager
- Production and Venue Manager
Themba Stewart (Production and venue manager) graduated from University of Cape Town as theatre maker in 2008. He has since worked as a freelance production manager, designer, writer, director, installation artist and performer. Themba has run multiple shows in theatre festivals, venues and site specific spaces in the country and internationally. These include Infecting the City Festival (Multiple years - Technical manager 2014); Live Art festival; Magnet Theatre's - I Turned away and she was Gone and Every year every day I am Walking ; Jay Pather's - Body of evidence and Qaphela Caesar; Jemma Kahn's In Boccaal Lupo. As a director, Themba wrote and directed Red Aloes in collaboration with the powerhouse team of Iman Isaacs and Richard September; performed at Magnet Theatre in 2017 and restaged at Zeitz Mocaa in 2019. Recently, as an Artist, Themba (in collaboration with Qondiswa James) installed two light installation works for the Spier Light Art festival 2019/2020. Themba has worked with Magnet theatre since 2011 and has been a production, tour, stage and venue manager for shows in Cape Town, nationally and abroad.
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.