Home / Cycle Academy / Road Safety Musical Theatre Academy Brings Joy
30

January

2019

Road Safety Musical Theatre Academy Brings Joy

The eThekwini Transport Authority has expanded its GO!Durban Cycle Academy service offering to now include an exciting new arts programme.

The Academy has partnered with the Young Performer’s Project (YPP) and is set to launch the very first “Road Safety Musical Theatre Academy”, in association with Durban Green Corridors. YPP is a non-profit organisation that trains talented high school performers in the art of musical theatre (dancing, singing and acting), and they will now be bringing the joy of arts and culture to the communities of Inanda, KwaMashu and KwaDabeka.

Auditions were held in January in each area and all kids aged 13 -19 were invited to showcase their budding talent. Out of 148 hopefuls, 70 participants were selected to join the program – 19 in Inanda, 21 in KwaMashu and 30 in KwaDabeka.

“We were absolutely blown away by what we saw at the auditions!” says Des Govender, Chairperson of the Young Performer’s Project . “We cannot wait to get started with the programme to develop these young gifted children into shining stars.”

The RSMTA programme will offer classes in acting, singing and dancing three days a week at the GO!Durban Cycle Academy Bike Park sites. The curriculum – which was specially written and composed for this project – will not only focus on the arts, but will use the medium of musical theatre to teach participants valuable life skills, such as the rules of the road, being a good neighbour and a responsible citizen, and environmental conservation. The academy will also stage two original productions in 2019 – written by Mthokozisi (Mtho) Zulu, Head of Drama and script writer for RSMTA.

Mtho was born and bred in Durban and graduated Cum Laude in Drama from the Durban University of Technology. His list of theatre and film work is extensive and he is currently working on set in Johannesburg, but is so passionate about this project that he will be travelling to KZN every Thursday to coach the drama class in KwaDabeka.

“Movement through the performing arts is another form of active mobility and we are thrilled to be adding the Road Safety Musical Theatre Academy to our CSI portfolio,” says Thami Manyathi, Head of the eThekwini Transport Authority. “We believe that the combination of sports and arts-and-culture will further benefit the local communities in our municipality and provide a platform for young talent to thrive.”

Comments are closed.