January 21, 2005
By Lucky Sindane
WHEN the 27 youngsters started to sing, it sounded like a choir of hundreds.
This impressive performance was the first lesson at the newly opened Rapetsoa Institute of Arts (Prida) in Soweto and the group of youngsters are determined to make the most of the opportunities on offer.
Just a day earlier hundreds of youngsters had flocked to the Donaldson Orlando Community Centre in Orlando East to audition for a place in the institute, run by well-known playwright and director Paul Rapetsoa.
Prida is offering a nine-month course on performing arts and radio presenting.
"The auditions were very hectic," says Rapetsoa. "I have never seen such hectic auditions in my life."
But he is thrilled by the response - on the first day 47 students registered for the course. He attributes the large turnout to the accessibility of the school. "Most of the students walk to the school," Rapetsoa says.
Four youngsters were awarded scholarships: Mimi Poo from Diepkloof, as the top achiever received a scholarship for the whole nine months; Tshepiso Mokgoebo from Diepkloof Zone 2 and Mafika Mogomotsi from Dube Village were given scholarships cover their first three months of study; and Nkululeko Mhlanga of Orlando East won a scholarship for the first two months of the course.
"The auditions were a walk in the park for me," says Mhlanga, adding: "I know for sure that I'm going to learn a lot from this school."
Mokgoebo adds: "The auditions were very interesting and I'm looking forward to the classes. I started singing and acting in 1998 and I love it. I'm not going to look back."
There was little sign of this being the first day of a new school. The students were all relaxed and determined to shine. They went through the basics - the singing and script reading - with confidence.
"The work will be very easy here because most of the students have done this before," says Rapetsoa, pointing out that many of the students had been in community acting groups.
"I'm really impressed with them," the dramatist says. He is already planning to get the group working on one of his plays. "I'm going to give them one of my plays to 'get down' soon, which motivates, and they will be performing it in all the schools around Soweto."
Rapetsoa is fired up by his latest project. "Soweto is the best, the youngsters are very active and they know what they are doing."
Vast experience
Rapetsoa has vast experience in the theatrical world and is determined to pass on his expertise.
Born in Luipaardsvlei, in Krugersdorp, in 1950, he had a love of drama at a very early age, but his father, a policeman, didn't approve. "My father said that acting does not pay and I wouldn't get married if I continued because I wouldn't have money to pay lobola," says Rapetsoa.
"I was inspired by the late Gibson Kente; in 1968 I watched his play Sikhalo and from there I never looked back."
After completing a teaching diploma at Mokopane College in 1972, Rapetsoa went to study drama at Dorkay House in Eloff Street in Johannesburg. But he didn't last: his father came to fetch him before he had completed his course.
Rapetsoa then went to teach at Basterspad Primary School in Limpopo between 1973 and 1979 - against his will.
At the end of 1979 he teamed up with Kente and featured in Kente's play Mama and the Load. He also worked with people such as Mbongeni Ngema and the late Ndaba Mhlongo.
In 1980 he launched his own company, the Rapetsoa Theatre Company, and started writing plays such as Circumstances. He followed up with plays such as The Trap, Get Down, What If and Never Until. and also wrote radio dramas for Thobela FM, including O re Haa, Bjang ka pa Bjang and Leswesweng la Pelo.
Opened schools of drama
In 1995 he opened the Action School of Drama in Limpopo, which produced most of the Thobela FM presenters. "In April 2004 I relocated the school to Johannesburg because it is in the centre, drawing people from as far as Cape Town to the City of Gold. My students are doing very well and they are currently performing Never Until, a drama about HIV and Aids."
Paul Rapetsoa and students at work
Rapetsoa also recently opened a drama school in Kwaggafontein, in Mpumalanga. He is planning others in Leboa Kgomo, Limpopo, and in Mmabatho, in the North West.
Rapetsoa's plan is to help the department of arts and culture establish drama schools in all provinces. "The talent is there and I don't want people to waste it. By working together we can produce home-brewed artists and we can be proud about that," says Rapetsoa.
But for now, he is focusing on his latest project - the drama school in Soweto.
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