Cape Town Opera is excited to announce the staging of a much anticipated new production, Tsotsi, the Musical.
In 2015, Cape Town Opera was awarded the rights to produce Tsotsi the Musical, a kwaito-music stage production based on Athol Fugard’s novel about a South African gangster’s life which gained global renown following the award-winning 2005 film adaptation.
Now, 11 years later, Tsotsi, the Musical brings together some of South Africa’s most cutting-edge creatives and tackles some of the country’s most pressing social issues. It presents a gritty and moving portrait of a young man named David, alienated from his family and the promises of prosperity in a new democracy. After a life of gangsterism, David is forced into a new role of responsibility that leads to both his redemption and subsequent demise.
With music composed and directed by multi-award winning singer, songwriter, producer and composer, Zwai Bala (who exploded to stardom in 1997 with the kwaito group TKZee) and lyrics by Mkhululi Mabija (the librettist of CTO’s Bessie: The Blue-Eyed Xhosa) Tsotsi, the Musical is directed by award winners Neil Coppen and Khayelihle Dominique Gumede. Michael Mitchell’s ingenious set, with movable elements, combined with video designer Kirsty Cumming’s use of projection, brings to life the makeshift quality of township life.
Full of suspense and drama; harshness and introspection, this new South African musical is a must-see.
DATE: 10- 18 Feb, 2018
VENUE: Artscape Theatre, Cape Town
BOOKING: Through Computicket
Alongside the stage production, CTO has developed an educational program with a school in XXX called Finding David. This initiative uses music and storytelling to address insecurity, fear and gangsterism, with the intention of developing empathy and resilience in South African youth.