S1.E4 | Nwabisa Plaatjie: Empowerment and Sustainability in South African Theatre
04/23/24 • 77 min
S1.E4.
Award-winning South African playwright/director Nwabisa Plaatjie shares gems from her artistic journey as a theatre maker from a long line of storytellers.
From her groundbreaking work in Cape Town to her roots in rural South Africa, Nwabisa shares how she's reshaping cultural narratives, fostering community connections, and redefining self-care.
Nwabisa Plaatjie is an independent producer, theatre-maker, and director based in Cape Town, South Africa. She holds an MA in Theatre and Performance from the University of Cape Town, and her practice draws from traditional oral storytelling practices to create plays that challenge systemic discrimination in the theatre sector.
Her artistic prowess and leadership have been recognized through various special grants and commissions and support the creation of nine original pieces, with two touring internationally.
Her latest play, Ziyana, was created through the support of the International Network For Contemporary Performing Arts’ Local Journeys for Change, Georgetown University’s Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics, where she was a Global Fellow, as well the Institute of Creative Arts, and encouraged her to make various contributions in the National Theatre and Dance Policy “Breathing New Vision into Theatre and Dance in South Africa.”
Nwabisa is devoted to stories, people, and culture. She is an alumna of the Mandela Washington Fellowship [2020/21], an IETM Global connector [2022] and an ISPA Global fellow [2022 and 2023 cohort].
From 2018 to October 2022, she coordinated and curated the Baxter’s Masambe Theatre, driving its relaunch as a space for performance, collaboration, mentorship, and networking.
In 2023 she launched her “An artist is made” project, celebrating community and recognizing the role of social and cultural capital in our creative journeys. The project was funded by the National Arts Council and included plays, workshops, an archiving project, and community building platforms.
Want to be a guest on KeyBARD? Send Thembi a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1740803399472257afce75768
KeyBARD is produced, written, and hosted by Thembi Duncan.
Theme music by Sycho Sid.
Listen and Connect:
- Spotify: Follow, Rate, and Share
- Apple Podcasts: Subscribe, Review, and Rate
- Instagram: @Keybard_IG
- Facebook: The KeyBARD Podcast
S1.E4.
Award-winning South African playwright/director Nwabisa Plaatjie shares gems from her artistic journey as a theatre maker from a long line of storytellers.
From her groundbreaking work in Cape Town to her roots in rural South Africa, Nwabisa shares how she's reshaping cultural narratives, fostering community connections, and redefining self-care.
Nwabisa Plaatjie is an independent producer, theatre-maker, and director based in Cape Town, South Africa. She holds an MA in Theatre and Performance from the University of Cape Town, and her practice draws from traditional oral storytelling practices to create plays that challenge systemic discrimination in the theatre sector.
Her artistic prowess and leadership have been recognized through various special grants and commissions and support the creation of nine original pieces, with two touring internationally.
Her latest play, Ziyana, was created through the support of the International Network For Contemporary Performing Arts’ Local Journeys for Change, Georgetown University’s Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics, where she was a Global Fellow, as well the Institute of Creative Arts, and encouraged her to make various contributions in the National Theatre and Dance Policy “Breathing New Vision into Theatre and Dance in South Africa.”
Nwabisa is devoted to stories, people, and culture. She is an alumna of the Mandela Washington Fellowship [2020/21], an IETM Global connector [2022] and an ISPA Global fellow [2022 and 2023 cohort].
From 2018 to October 2022, she coordinated and curated the Baxter’s Masambe Theatre, driving its relaunch as a space for performance, collaboration, mentorship, and networking.
In 2023 she launched her “An artist is made” project, celebrating community and recognizing the role of social and cultural capital in our creative journeys. The project was funded by the National Arts Council and included plays, workshops, an archiving project, and community building platforms.
Want to be a guest on KeyBARD? Send Thembi a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1740803399472257afce75768
KeyBARD is produced, written, and hosted by Thembi Duncan.
Theme music by Sycho Sid.
Listen and Connect:
- Spotify: Follow, Rate, and Share
- Apple Podcasts: Subscribe, Review, and Rate
- Instagram: @Keybard_IG
- Facebook: The KeyBARD Podcast
Previous Episode
S1.E3 | Psalmayene 24: Exploring Identity and Experimenting with Theatrical Forms
S1.E3.
Step into the world of playwright, director, and actor Psalmayene 24 as he shares insights into his unique creative process and the powerful themes that define his theatrical body of work.
We explore his seminal hip-hop theatre piece Free Jujube Brown!, discuss his reimagining of an iconic historical interaction between Richard Wright and James Baldwin in Les Deux Noirs, and reflect of several other dynamic works that he has written, directed, or performed in throughout his career.
Don't miss this conversation about the essence of creativity, the exploration of identity, and the profound responsibility that artists bear in shaping our cultural landscape.
Want to be a guest on KeyBARD? Send Thembi a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1740803399472257afce75768
KeyBARD is produced, written, and hosted by Thembi Duncan.
Theme music by Sycho Sid.
Listen and Connect:
- Spotify: Follow, Rate, and Share
- Apple Podcasts: Subscribe, Review, and Rate
- Instagram: @Keybard_IG
- Facebook: The KeyBARD Podcast
Next Episode
S1.E5 | Michael J. Bobbitt: Leading Innovative Growth in the Arts Sector
S1.E5.
Arts and culture visionary Michael J. Bobbitt joins Thembi this week to discuss the pressing need for systemic change in the arts sector. In his role as Executive Director of Mass Cultural Council, Michael "walks the walk" and consistently implements innovation and sparks paradigm shift in the agency.
In this rich discussion, Michael also talks about the double-edged sword of grantmaking, the challenges of change management, and what the arts sector must do to survive.
Want to be a guest on KeyBARD? Send Thembi a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1740803399472257afce75768
KeyBARD is produced, written, and hosted by Thembi Duncan.
Theme music by Sycho Sid.
Listen and Connect:
- Spotify: Follow, Rate, and Share
- Apple Podcasts: Subscribe, Review, and Rate
- Instagram: @Keybard_IG
- Facebook: The KeyBARD Podcast
KeyBARD - S1.E4 | Nwabisa Plaatjie: Empowerment and Sustainability in South African Theatre
Transcript
Thembi: Hello, hello, and welcome to KeyBARD. This is Thembi, and today I am so excited to be speaking with theatre maker, director, activist, and scholar Nwabisa Plaatjie.
Nwabisa Plaatjie is an independent producer, theatre-maker, and director based in Cape Town, South Africa. She holds an MA in Theatre and Performance from the University of Cape Town, and her practice draws from traditional oral storytelling practices to create plays that challenge systemic discrimin
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