The film, which is set to be released on the 8th of August, features Jennifer Hudson as Aretha and tells her story from when she was a kid, singing in her father’s church choir up to where she became an international superstar. It also features icons such as Forest Whitaker as Aretha’s father and Marlon Wayans as her first husband. Other supporting roles include Tituss Burgess, Mary J. Blige, and Marc Maron.

Of the actors and the crew, the Fracteton born Liesl had nothing but praise, describing them as ‘focused professionals’. Most of Liesl’s praise is reserved for the iconic Forest. She described him as a ‘humble genius’ that operated “on a level of complexity… that is really impressive”. She also described Jennifer as being devoted to making Aretha come to life by preparing both her voice and practicing Aretha’s body movements, months in advance. Of the comedic icons, Marlon and Tituss, she says that people will be pleasantly surprised by how gifted and talented they are in these dramatic roles.

Liesl is grateful that both the cast and crew trusted her and in return, she trusted them back. She says that in general, a movie set has a director and everyone listens to that director. However, on Liesl’s set, she made sure that everyone was equal and had a say in what the move should look like. This led to a work environment where there was no drama and nobody was trying to outshine the other. Instead, everybody showed up on time and excited about making the vision she had in mind, come to life. This is the vision that got her both the job and the respect of everyone that worked on set.

Now, being chosen to do a movie is not as simple as it sounds and studios usually interview many directors before they choose one. Liesl says that she was contacted by the studio bosses for a meeting where she was asked to share her ideas about how she would do the movie. When she got to the meeting, she greeted everyone and jumped right into what her vision for the movie was which included the time period, the songs, and the style of the movie. After the meeting, they thanked her and told her that they would get back to her. Two weeks later, they called her back and told her that she got the job. Studios also usually first hire a screenwriter and then a director, but the studio bosses were so confident in Liesl’s vision that they hired her first.

Of course, this is Liesl’s first movie but a South African always has a plan and she is not one to come unprepared. She had always wanted to do movies and started practicing with a film camera while directing her stage plays. One of the things she did was experiment with a camera to see how she could make her theatre plays even better. Some of her plays also had to be recorded on film which basically meant that Liesl also had to ‘direct’ the cameraperson to make sure that they filmed from the right angles.

The next thing she did was practice her hand at filmmaking by directing episodes of television programs. These include popular shows such as Queen Sugar, Insecure, The Walking Dead, and Jessica Jones. By the time she started working on ‘Respect’, she was confident that she had sufficiently prepared herself for the major task of filming a big-screen movie. She had spent years making sure that she could handle a camera and once again, by the looks of the trailer, it seems like she got it right. But of course, it isn’t just about the camera. It is also about making characters come to life and for a director, that means connecting with the character on a deeper level.

When asked what part of her identifies with Aretha, Liesl quickly responded that it was Aretha’s political identity. Having been a kid in apartheid South Africa, she could understand how Aretha felt as a kid in a racially segregated US. Like Aretha, Liesl was always surrounded by adults talking about revolution and resistance. Also like Aretha, Liesl isn’t just all talk and she used her art to fight against racial and gender discrimination.

Whereas songs such as Aretha’s ‘Respect’ became a big part of the civil rights movement (the US’s version of the struggle), Liesl used the theatre to make her mark in the world of activism. Liesl’s family had moved to the US when she was 15 and it was here that she was involved with her first high school play, ‘Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf’. Written by Ntozake Shange, the play is essentially about seven African American women who have experienced horrors such as rape, abandonment, abortion, and domestic violence. This play was the beginning of her journey as an artist, a journey that would lead her to direct many plays right across the US, including the award-winning Broadway play, Eclipsed.

Eclipsed was written by Danai Gurira (who is most famously known as, Michonne, on the hit show, The Walking Dead) and it was the first Broadway play to feature an all-black and all-female creative cast and team. The play, which is about five Liberian women and their tale of survival near the end of the Second Liberian Civil War, went on become a massive hit, running for several years and receiving several awards and nominations. These included a Tony nomination for Liesl for best director, the highest honour a US stage director can receive. Her activism did not stop when she partnered with Disney to direct the R400 million stage version of Frozen.

Disney is very strict about how it does things and always features characters in their stage plays that look like the characters in the movies. The Frozen movie essentially featured all-white characters but Liesl insisted that if Disney hired her, she would be able to hire a more diverse cast. This led to the first African Americans playing the roles of Anna and Hans. Kids of all races and ages loved it and it made no difference to them that Anna was black (proving once and for all that the world will become a better place because of future generations). Cooper Howell, who played the part of Hans, said that Liesl made sure that everybody was equal and no one was treated differently because of the colour of their skin. Needless to say, Liesl had already made a major contribution towards the fight for equality, just like Aretha had.

When asked what inspiration the audience (especially young people) can get from the story of Aretha Franklin, Liesl looks at how everyone can relate to the trauma and pain that Aretha experienced. Not only did she have to deal with racial and gender discrimination, but she also dealt with childhood sexual abuse as well as the divorce of her parents, and as an adult, she survived a physically and verbally abusive marriage. However, says Liesl, “everybody has their own capability to heal themselves” and “find a light at their own dark tunnel”. The key, says Liesl, is to connect with that part of “the self” that “that is bigger than the trauma or the pain” and Aretha found this through her faith. Liesl concludes that Aretha struggled and “got trapped in her own head but she ultimately fought her way through that into a brighter, better future for herself”.

The movie will premiere on the 8th of August internationally and on the 13th of August in South Africa, in cinemas right across the country. If you’re a fan of Aretha and want to experience her larger-than-life story, be sure to show some ‘Respect’ by grabbing a ticket at a cinema near you.

If you want to watch the trailer, check it out below:

The post Cape Town’s Liesl Tommy Brings Aretha Franklin’s Story to the Big Screen appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

Directed by well know Cape Tonian, Loukmaan Adams, the play brings together a dynamic group of talent to tell a collection of stories from the Yusuf’s life story growing up on the Cape Flats.

Despite portraying the hardships of growing up during apartheid, the stories are described as hilarious, heart-warming and uplifting.

It delves into universal topics such as family, friendships, community, traditions and culture; while also looking at the reality of having to grow up in a racist era surrounded by gangsters and poverty.

It shows how Yusuf, as a young boy, took the various challenges that were thrown at him and turned them into positive opportunities, making the most of living through these trying times and under these conditions.

The dynamic cast of six performers mostly play multiple characters and include Tashreeq de Villers, Alexis Petersen, Eldon van der Merwe, Anzio September, Crystal Finck and Yvan Potts.

Tashreeq, Anzio and Crystal also starred in Marc Lottering’s hit productions Aunty Merle, The Musical and Aunty Merle, it’s a Girl.

Loukmaan, who makes his debut as a director, is a well established artist who has received a Tony nomination, the Laurence Olivier Award for his performances as well as the Best Actor in a Musical for his role in Kat and the Kings, an FNB Vita Award for best performer and choreographer and a Naledi Award for Best Choreography for Ghoema. H

Not forgetting the Covid protocols, the performances will be limited to fifty percent capacity and will include the availability of hand sanitisers, tracking and tracing, temperature checks, mandatory wearing of masks and practising of physical distancing.

Audience members are advised to arrive at least an hour before the start of the performance to avoid delays.

Living Coloured runs at The Baxter Concert Hall from 8 December 2020 to 9 January 2021.

Ticket prices range from R125 to R225 and booking is through Webtickets on 086 111 0005, online at www.webtickets.co.za or at Pick n Pay stores.

For discounted school or group block bookings, fundraisers or charities, contact Carmen Kearns on 021 680 3993 or e-mail her at [email protected].

The post Yusuf Daniels’ Bestselling Book, Living Coloured, Brought to Life on Stage at Baxter Theatre appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

Titled, Happy, the song starts off with the rather tear-inducing lyrics, “I want you to be happy, Even if it’s not with me”.

It then plunges into the depths of what it feels to completely in love with another human and asking if it is enough.

The song concludes that he really does not want to say goodbye and that he will “be better now”.

One commentator stated that “t relates to what I’m currently going through” and another saying that “This song awakens the emotions I want to forget about”.

Referring to the heart-wrenching lyrics, another jokingly asked, “Who is cutting onions in here”.

Additional comments included, I “cried snot and tears like a baby” and ‘the words attacked my soul’.

Of the song, Craig said that he has always struggled to “with the concept of happiness” and has always lived with this “underlying feeling of either sadness”.

When he does experience happiness however, he tries “to hold on to those peaceful, joyful moments for as long as I can.”

He says that releasing “this song is one of those moments”.

If you want to watch the music video, see below:

The post Is Craig Lucas’ Latest Single, Happy, This Year’s Saddest Song? appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

Performing as the final contestant for the evening, the 43 year old Belinda stunned the judges and had the audience on their feet as she flawlessly belted out the Whitney classic.

At the end of the song, the audience erupted in applause with the judges, Simon Cowell; Amanda Holden; Alesha Dixon and David Walliams, all standing up in awe of Belinda’s magnificent performance.

The episode aired Friday night in Britain and was the final round of Britain’s Got Talent auditions.

To the die-hard Whitney Houston fan, Belinda is already a well-known performer, having travelled the world as a top Whitney tribute singer.

Despite having achieved international success, Belinda felt that she wanted to take the next step in expanding her career, and saw ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ as a way of that just that.

She however did not want to brag about her already successful career, so when the judges asked to tell the audience more about herself, she just said, “I’m a singer and I do Whitney Houston songs.”

When she started to sing however, it became apparent that she is a very gifted professional.

This is however, not Belinda’s first time performing on a talent show in the UK.

In 2017, she was chosen to perform on the BCC show, ‘Even Better Than The Real Things’, where 5 tribute singers compete against other for the top prize.

Not only was she chosen among the 15000 singers that auditioned, but she also won.

The auditions were had been recorded before the COVID outbreak, so it is not clear when the main part of the show will continue.

Being a professional performer, Belinda also had several scheduled tour dates across South Africa and the UK, but it is once again not clear when she will continue with her tours.

Until then however, you can watch Belinda blow away the audience in the video below:

The post Belinda Gets Standing Ovation at ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ Show appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

Set in the underbelly of the Cape Flats, the story unfolds in 1995, when Pamela meets up with Juanita, a friend from her school days. Soon she realises that Juanita is trapped in an abusive relationship with a drug lord and she is desperate to help her friend escape. Pamela is drawn into dark and dangerous places and situations, yet she perseveres against all odds, for the safety and survival of her friend.

When it was first released last year, it became a major critical and box office success. Playing to sold out crowds and receiving standing ovations, it was described by critics as a “world-class experience” on “an epic scale.” The cast and crew were hailed as “faultless”, delivering both grand settings and powerful performances.

Based on Shakespeare’s Othello , this acclaimed production is a reworking of the hit musical Poison which was written by Taliep and David in the 90s. With this reworked version, David has decided to tell the story from the point of view of Pamela, a social worker who is writing her thesis on drug abuse in the Cape Flats.

David, who directs the musical, has written this new book for Danger in the Dark but has retained many of the original songs. He has assembled a stellar creative team and cast of eight lead performers with a chorus of 14, who dance, sing and play a variety of roles, accompanied by a live band of five musicians.

The ensemble is led by Alexis Petersen ( Langarm, Calling us Home ) as Pamela, Rushney Ferguson ( District Six – Kanala!, Langarm ) as Juanita, Loukmaan Adams ( District Six- The Musical, Aunty Merle, The Musical ) as Michael, Elton Landrew ( Kat and the Kings, Langarm ) as Poison, Eldon van der Merwe ( Arendsvlei, Fiela se Kind ) as Chicco, Tashreeq de Villiers ( Aunty Merle, The Musical, Satin to Sequins ) as Lucky, Edith Plaatjies ( King Kong, Orpheus in Africa ) as Mrs Joseph and Chad Baai ( Spring Awakening, Fame-The Musical ) as Shawn.

Most recently Danger in the Dark received five Fleur du Cap nominations. These include a Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Musical (Elton), Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Musical (Rushney), Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Musical (Eldon and Tashreeq) and Most Promising Student (Chad). The winners will be announced on 22 March at The Baxter.

The chorus comprises Luke Buys, Loreto Cabrera, Lewellyn Afrika, Luke de Kock, Anzio September, Lubabalo Pupu, Rori York Bingham, Alex Rodkin, Chamonay Anthony, Mekaila Mathys, Crystal Finck, Gabriela Dirkse and Tanzley Jooste.

David’s assistant director is Grant van Ster with an acclaimed creative team that incude Camillo Lombard (musical director), Patrick Curtis (set and lighting designer), David Classen (sound designer), Widaad Albertus (costume designer), Kirsti Cummings (videographer) with choreography by Shaun Oelf and Grant van Ster.

The live band is made up of Grandall Vlotman (conductor and keyboards), Shaun Francke (guitar), Jason Ward (drums and percussion),  Yvan Potts (synthesizers) and Kurt Randall (bassist).

Danger in the Dark previews at the Baxter Theatre on 9 March, opens on 10 March and runs until 28 March. For discounted block or schools’ bookings, fundraisers and charities, contact Leon van Zyl on 021 680 3972 or email him at [email protected] or Carmen Kearns on 021 680 3993 or email [email protected] .

Ticket prices range from R120 to R195 and booking is now open through Webtickets on 086 111 0005, online at www.webtickets.co.za or at Pick n Pay stores. There is an age restriction of 12 years.

The post David Kramer’s Hit Musical, Danger in the Dark, Returns to Baxter appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

The exciting sequel to the first hit production Aunty Merle, The Musical, brings even more surprises, with unexpected twists and turns, beautiful music and wonderful dancing.

Since its opening, Aunty Merle It’s a Girl! has been playing to packed houses and standing ovations at every performance so far.

Marc once again teams up with director Lara Foot, a live band and an ensemble cast of 12, who sing and dance their way through the drama that goes on between Belgravia Road, Athlone and Bantry Bay.

The cast comprises Marc Lottering, Royston Stoffels, Carmen Maarman, Rushney Ferguson, Julian Place, Jennifer Steyn, Nicky Rebelo, Anzio September, Sizwesandile Mnisi, Tashreeq de Viliers, Zoleka Helesi and Crystal Finck.

However, before the show starts, you can join in the fun wat the Baxter’s hugely popular New Year’s Eve Bash which will once again see some of the artists join in the festivities on 31 December.

Performances on the night will commence later and ticket prices to both these shows include entry to the party, a complimentary glass of bubbly or orange juice, a live band and DJ as well as the traditional spectacular balloon drop.

The fun will continue in the foyer after the performances to help kickstart the new year and herald in the new decade.

The live band will help to get the legs shaking and bodies grooving as the foyer fills with music and vibrant celebration.

Book for the New Year’s Eve Bash on 086 111 0005, online at www.webtickets.co.za or from selected Pick n Pay stores.

The post Celebrate the New Year with Marc Lottering’s Aunty Merle appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

The prominent business executive will be hosted by the social enterprise venture, RLabs, at an event where she will be talking about her recently released book, My Blood Divides and Unites.

The book explores her childhood growing up in Westbury in Johannesburg and the challenges she had to face as a person of colour growing up in apartheid.

It also explores the conflict she felt about her mixed race identity, her international experiences on achieving racial reconciliation and how she managed to overcome all odds to become one of the most successful and accomplished women in South Africa.

In addition to being a qualified chartered accountant, her extensive list of accomplishments includes being a Harvard Graduate, the World Economic Forum’s Head of Business Engagement for Africa and a World Economic Forum ‘Young Global Leader’.

She sat on the boards of various companies which include EOH, ETG Input Holdings, the Land Bank, the Land Bank Insurance Company, Agri-Business Senwes, Cell C and Intersite Property Management Services; and she is a founding board member of the ‘African Women Chartered Accountants Investment Holdings’.

She also co-founded an investment holding company, she started her own consultancy (Harvestfield), and she has advised on billion rand projects, largely focusing on investments into agriculture, finance and technology firms.

She has also built a formidable understanding of the international environment, having spent several years at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, and having had the privilege of being able to travel to approximately 70 countries on various continents.

The event in Athlone will be her second this month, after she was hosted at an event in her hometown of Westbury this past Friday.

If you want to hear her talk or just ask her for advice, be sure to be in Athlone this coming Monday on the 2 ^nd of December, at the RLabs premises (22 Tarentaal Road, Bridgetown, Athlone).

The event will kick off at 11am and if you need to more information, you can send an email to [email protected] .

If you want to know more about her book, you can check out her website at www.myblooddividesandunites.com .

The post Meet One of South Africa’s Most Successful Women in Athlone, Cape Town appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

The prominent business executive, who was raised in Westbury, recently released her book, My Blood Divides and Unites, which explores her childhood growing up in Westbury and the challenges she had to face as a person of colour growing up in apartheid.

It also explores the conflict she felt about her mixed race identity, her international experiences on achieving racial reconciliation and how she managed to overcome all odds to become one of the most successful and accomplished women in South Africa.

In addition to being a qualified chartered accountant, her extensive list of accomplishments includes being a Harvard Graduate, the World Economic Forum’s Head of Business Engagement for Africa and a World Economic Forum ‘Young Global Leader’.

She sat on the boards of various companies which include EOH, ETG Input Holdings, the Land Bank, the Land Bank Insurance Company, Agri-Business Senwes, Cell C and Intersite Property Management Services; and she is a founding board member of the ‘African Women Chartered Accountants Investment Holdings’.

She also co-founded an investment holding company, she started her own consultancy (Harvestfield), and she has advised on billion rand projects, largely focusing on investments into agriculture, finance and technology firms.

She has also built a formidable understanding of the international environment, having lived several years in Switzerland (the Headquarters of the World Economic Forum), and having had the privilege of being able to travel to approximately 70 countries on various continents.

If you want to hear her talk or just ask her for advice, you can do so today at the Westbury Library, starting at 14:00 in the afternoon.

During the event, which is being organised by Mashup and The Westbury Youth Centre in partnership with ‘Readers are Leaders’, Jesmane will be donating some of the books to the library.

If you want to know more about her book, you can check out her website at www.myblooddividesandunites.com .

The post Meet One of South Africa’s Most Successful Women in Westbury appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

On Saturday it was confirmed that Junaid’s Book, ‘KUNGFU: My Journey, The History’, sold close to 1000 copies despite not being officially launched.

The sales came about after a very successful ‘soft launch’ two weeks ago, where the book was introduced without being officially launched.

The record gold medallist became the first South African Kungfu Champion to write a book and it explores his childhood as well as his journey to becoming a Kungu Master.

The book is set to be officially launched on the 28th November 2019, at Cape Town Library to be hosted by Cape Town Mayor, Dan Plato.

Junaid will also be doing visits at schools, youth centres, mosques and churches; and he will be launching the book in Pretoria and Johannesburg on the 29th November 2019.

However, before he launches the book, he will be departing to India where he will be touring the country for 13 days.

This comes after he was invited to promote his book by the Indian High Commission and Tourism Director of Hyderabad.

The tour, which is being arranged by the Indian government, will have Junaid travelling to Hyderabad, Mumbai and Goa.

He will be visiting schools, colleges, universities and a few mosques where he will interact with the youth, deliver public talks and conduct a few Kungfu displays.

This tour will again set him apart as the first South African Ambassador of martial arts to visit India to promote his book.

Junaid says that he dedicated his book to his mother, Salma Chafeker, who passed away in August and whom he describes as his greatest inspiration.

The book will available in bookstores after the 28 November launch.

The post Junaid’s Kungfu Book Already on Way to Become Bestseller, Before Official Launch appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

The Kungfu Master will be releasing his first book this coming Monday, becoming the first South African Kungfu Champion to do so.

Titled, ‘KUNGFU: My Journey, The History’, the book will chronicle his journey from being a shy, introverted kid, to becoming a ferocious international Kungfu champion.

The book will also follow Junaid as he is trained in South Africa, China, the USA and Hong Kong by the best Kungfu masters in the world.

Junaid is also proud of the fact that he is the first South African Muslim Kungfu Master to write a book, and some of the chapters are testament to this.

The book looks at the history of Islam in China as well as the unique style of fighting developed by China’s Muslim minorities (such as the Hui), several hundred years ago.

Much of the history he writes about is not only through research, but also through his own personal interactions while he was studying Kungfu in China.

Not only does he write about his mother, Salma Chafeker, but he also dedicated the entire book to her memory.

He describes Salma, who passed away in August, as his greatest source of inspiration and not only does he love her, but he also has a deep respect for her commitment to equality.

Salma was a white South African who had fought against apartheid and not only fought for racial equality, but also for the empowerment of women.

Junaid says that his mother was his greatest motivator and credits her for giving him his fighting spirit, not only as a Kungfu Master, but also as a community activist.

He is actively involved in uplifting the youth through martial arts training and he will also be offering free Kungfu self-defense workshops to women and girls, as well as working with young men to help change the way women are treated in society.

Junaid says that he hopes that his book inspires young people and motivate them to make the right choices, work hard and become champions in every aspect of their lives.

The book will have its first ‘soft launch’ in Cape Town on Monday, with additional launches taking place in Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg and Pretoria in October and November.

The book will go on sale for R150 and you can pre-order copies by emailing Salma Doran at [email protected] or calling her at 081 711 1211 or 082 454 3027.

The post History Making Kungfu Master, Junaid Chafeker, to Release his First Book appeared first on Coloured South Africa .