Aamakhosi Cultural Centre, the home of visual and performing arts in Bulawayo will this year re-launch its theatre arts production and performance unit, Amakhosi Theatre as its full-time repertory theatre company based at the performing arts centre.
Amakhosi Theatre Rep, as the newly re-launched theatre outfit shall be known, is part of the efforts by its new management to revive the performing arts institution.
Amakhosi Theatre was founded by the prolific playwright, producer and director Cont Mhlanga in 1980 and its productions and tours were very popular locally and internationally.
“Amakhosi Theatre Company was disbanded in 2007 after the banning by the then government State security of my political satire The Good President as it became increasingly difficult to produce and tour our plays because of the prevailing political situation in the country at the time” said Cont Mhlanga, the executive producer and chairperson of Amakhosi.
“This impacted negatively on the growth of the theatre industry in the western region and in Zimbabwe as a whole,” says Thulani Mbambo, head of production at the newly-revived theatre outfit.
“We are excited that Amakhosi Theatre will bring back professional theatre seasons and theatre tours deep into communities that had died when Amakhosi Theatre was disbanded some 12 years ago,” added Mbambo.
Amakhosi Theatre Rep reloaded with new theatre talent from Bulawayo will be re-launched on March 27 as part of this year’s World Theatre Day Celebrations at Amakhosi Cultural Centre. It will re-launch with a cast of six and a crew of two and expand from there.
Amakhosi Cultural Centre is calling for those who are aspiring to be actors and think they have some acting talent from around the city centre giving priority to those staying at the city centre’s Avenues, Makhokhoba, Northend, Mzilikazi, Sourcetown, BF, Nguboyenja, Ntabazinduna, Thorngrove, Matshobana etc) to come for auditions on February 23, 2019 at the centre.
