South Africa

Locations

Market Theatre Lab, Johannesburg, and Sibikwa Community Theater, East Rand

Description:

In 2006, on a State Department sponsored, six-week, Culture Connect Envoy program in South Africa, Daniel Banks directed a workshop production of US playwright Zakiyyah Alexander’s Hip Hop Theatre play Blurring Shine and initiated a Hip Hop Theatre Lab with local actors, Hip Hop artists, and activists all at the historically political Market Theatre (Johannesburg). Using the HHTI methodology, he trained six of these artists to help him lead a workshop at the Sibikwa Community Theatre (East Rand), the oldest existent community theatre in South Africa.

In Cape Town, Daniel led two workshops: the first in the Langa Township through Hip Hop Collected, a group in residence at Artscape. The second, a day-long workshop in Atlantis co-led with DNAWORKS Co-Director, Adam McKinney, resulted in a block party where B-boys and B-girls showed their moves. The more than 75 workshop participants, ages 2-95, displayed their artwork, and everyone celebrated the talent in their community.

Media: Atlantis

Media: HHT Market Lab Theater

For more information check out the following links:

• Sibikwa Community Theatre
• Interview with Sibikwa participant Leboxa Kolani
• “I Am the Mic” with Sibikwa workshop participants
• “From Jo’burg to Sibikwa”
• The Market Theatre Lab
• Acting Together Project
• “Hip Hop Theatrical” by Adrienne Sichel, The Star