Drama Studies - Student Achievements

Jessica Jamison won Best Actress

for her role in Boesman and Lena at the 2011 Fugard Festival. The work was directed by fellow DUT: Drama Studies alumnus Siza Mthembu.

Menzi Mkhwane was nominated for his performance in Belly of the Beast for Best Newcomer 2011 at The Mercury Durban Theatre Awards.

Nhlakanipho Manqele won the Best Newcomer 2011 at The Mercury Durban Theatre Awards for his performance in The Coolie Odyssey.

Vishendra Singh and Nhlakanipho Manqele both received nominations for Supporting Actor for their respective roles in The Coolie Odyssey.
Liesl Coppin nominated for Supporting Actress: Musical Theatre at The Mercury Durban Theatre Awards for his role in Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood.

Bryan Hiles received a nomination for Supporting Actor: Musical Theatre at The Mercury Durban Theatre Awards for his role in Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood as well as a nomination for Lead Actor: Musical Theatre for his role in Cabaret.

Samson Mlambo wrote and directed Meet Bro Six-Two which garnered the 2012 Musho Festival Audience Appeal Award.

Performer Wiseman Mncube won the LTJ Travel Best Performer Award at the 2012 Musho Festival for his performance in the one man show Meet Bro Six-Two.

Lele Ledwaba (DUT Drama Studies alumnus) who plays Pinky in ‘Stokvel’ and took on the role of Diksie Lebone in The Wild on Mnet, paid the Department a visit in September 2012 and spoke with students in the Department about working hard in the industry.

Over the December 2011 festive season award winning actors Bryan Hiles and Belinda Henwood played an interesting comic duo in the Kickstart Production of Snow White joined by recent alumnus Mthokosizi Zulu and in Cinderella recent graduate Ayanda Sibisi proved a worthy understudy for Cinderella’s fairy godmother with Sheilla Madiya and Nomonde Matiwane as singers and dancers. Over the same period in a new musical titled Just for You performed at the Playhouse by seasoned DUT: Drama Studies alumnus Ndumiso Dlamini (who played Themba in Family Bonds on SABC 1) additionally featured recent graduate Samukelisiwe Hlophe.

Comedian and actor, Siyabonga Radebe, famous for the phrase, “It’s unbelievable”, was one of the headliners at Soweto’s premier comedy show, the 4th Annual Soweto Comedy Festival. He follows in the footsteps of the South African comedian with the widest international profile, award winning DUT Drama Studies Department alumnus John Vlismas.

Tumelo Khoza, wordsmith and award winning poet, graduated in 2011. Newcomer Khoza, September 2010 Slam Poetry Champion, has begun a career as a poet performing at various prestigious functions including the exhibition opening of Professor Pitika Ntuli’s Scent of Invisible Footprints. Khoza was recently published in an anthology “Letter to South Africa: Poets Calling the State to Order” alongside fellow DUT Drama Studies alumnus, the internationally published poet, playwright and performer Malika Ndlovu.