Yahto Kraft

Born to perform

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Born to perform

At the Teatro for “Born to perform”, big day, a time perform, to shine. Youthful energy, vibrant, anticipating to get this done, they love it, they want to dazzle and entertain. Stageworxs alumni, everywhere in the world, successful, thriving, living out their dreams. Jessica Driver among the alumni, served in ABBA and the Taylor Swift Eras in theatres all around the world to much acclaim. Today she was handing out the baton to the next generation, so symbolic, powerful. Zinah Rose and Graeme Watkins were outstanding as hosts. A lot of comedic moments. Like when Graeme came on to the stage with no pants. Zinah had them. The show had everything, everybody performed their hearts out, even the kids. Well practiced and delivered with precision, love and dedication. Fourways High, ST. Vincent for the deaf and NSA are the schools participating, Beauty and the Beast featured, Naledi Award winner Neo Kele performed and Mia Nupen was mezmarrizing, she sang and did ballet, standing on her toes, so majestic, so beautiful. Yahto Kraft is so incredible! He stunned Riky Rick and Lira on popular music show “The Voice”, the judges didn’t know what to say, they were pressing buttons followed by a standing ovation by everyone in the auditorium. That is still his content, he played the Evil ring master and Jesus in the same year. This time he sang Meatloaf classics, that’s always great. The crowd was appreciative. Simphiwe Ndhlovu was a lot of fun. There was a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of energy and a lot of people involved in the production. I met Matthew Marinus.

Congratulations Stageworxs and the whole team for a great show and a deserved standing ovation.

📷: SamSays

Godspell

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Godspell

At the Wits Theatre to watch the Student Production of the Year, “Godspell”. So glad it was not preachy, you can’t be too sure when Jesus is the main character. He is a good, chilled guy in this production, he even has on his “Superman” shirt. He preaches compassion, joy and faith.

A musical conceived by John Micheal Tebelak with music and new lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Godspell presents a series of parables, mostly drawn from the Gospel of Matthew, told through a framework of theatrical games, storytelling, and music. Jesus gathers a group of followers and teaches them lessons of love, humility, and service. The story culminates in a poignant reenactment of the Last Supper and the Crucifixion.

The set is simple, wide stage and a fence at the back. Behind the fence above is a big cross made of wood pallets, on either side of the big cross are small crosses also made of wood pallets. The set reinforces the Christian theme.

Yahto Kraft plays Jesus with Grant Towers as Judas. The followers of Jesus are the Oakfields College Musical Theatre and Dance Students from the first year to the final year. They all give their best, they are boundless energy, they are expressive and highly animated. They light-up, performing different dance styles. Wonderful team chemistry and choreographed movement. Costumes are colorful and bright with waterpaints on their faces. Everyone tells the story, everyone is involved in the story, everyone has a line, everyone has a role even if you are an echo backing up what the previous performer just uttered, often times they dramatized it to comedic effect. The singing and lighting are just irresistible. Some of the songs performed are; Day by day, Prepare Ye (The way of the Lord), All for the best, By my side, We beseech thee and other classics.

It’s the Naledi Award winning “Student Production of the Year” for a reason. They perform their hearts out, with precision, care and love for their craft.

Congratulations Tracey Human and the whole team for a great show and a deserved standing ovation.

📷: SamSays

Malo and the maiden

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Malo and the moon maiden

There is nothing better than a show at the Cirk. Janice Honeyman, panto, Beauty and the Beast – even better! I was excited for this show and it didn’t disappoint. It was grand, daring, dangerous and bold. From the moment you walked in, there was a circusy feeling. The mood was light, zany and fun. This was enforced through the colorful, upbeat and clown music. The set evoked the feeling of the circus with red and white curtains on either side and on top. Right in the middle was a painting of the performers performing in the circus. It’s a colorful atmosphere as exhibited with red noses and the eccentric costumes.

Nothing better than a show at the Cirk. The aerialists and acrobats are simply unbelievable! Devilishly dangerous, your heart is always in your mouth but you can’t look away because it’s breath-takingly beautiful. It’s jaw-dropping stuff, so graceful and done with a contagious smile that radiates. The acrobats were spinning in the air like tops, never got dizzy too, except for the evil ringmaster, he got dizzy and fell to his death. I have beef with the evil ringmaster, started off when he threatened to send my favorite character (the donkey) to the knackers for glue. After that I figured, he is not a pleasant fellow. The sound of his whip reverberates in the auditorium, it is menacing, threatening and a slaves worst nightmare. I love that the strongest man in the world was lifting weights over a 100000 kg, the audience were rooting for him to bend open the bars of the cage that Melodia Luna was trapped in and he did it, he saved the day! Everyone in the theater cheered.

Hoops, silks and ropes, the acrobats were swinging and flying all over the room. The best bodies in the world, with muscles in the right areas, defined, athletic and just olympic. It’s amazing how elastic and flexible they are – they do it in the air. God’s glory, mastery, hard word, dedication, for that moment, you slayed it! On the ground, there’s vocalists and dancers performing simultaneously. The vocalists have range and personality, they command your attention, they are the show! The show was interactive, as the audience, we got to do the Mexican wave led by the performers on the stage. They also asked questions and asked us to play and participate along. Perfect day at the theatre.

Directed by: Janice Honeyman
Original score: Wessel Odendaal
Set & lighting design: Wilhelm Disbergen

Starring Daniel Buckland as Malo, Claudia Moruzzi as Melodia Luna and Yahto Kraft as the evil ringmaster.

Congratulations Janice Honeyman and the whole team for a great show and a deserved standing ovation.

Meat Loaf – The Rebel Ride

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Meat Loaf – The Rebel Ride 🔥

First time at The Cirk, Sam crossed the ball from the flank and I headed it in for the match winning goal. Excited about seeing the Meat Loaf show for the whole week. I got the “very best of” album, double disk, to prime myself for the experience. This show is 🔥🔥🔥, nothing but fire emojies. When fire is around, you have to look at it, you can’t screen it out, it forces you to look, to invest your energy. Something evolutionary about fire, perhaps Darwin has something on it. We surrounded the stage like a bonfire, it was impossible to look away. Immersive experience, you have no time to be bored, there’s always something to look at, beautiful chaos with the acrobats, they are athletic with great bodies, 6 pack and puffed out chests. The ladies are flexible and elastic. The acrobats basically did the impossible, amazing, heart in your mouth stuff, breathtakingly beautiful but looks devilishly dangerous. The show was a performers heaven, they were dancing, singing and flying next to us – the audience. Yahto Kraft is an amazing vocalist and is backed up by more amazing singers. The show is very energetic and youthful, it was bursting with vitality, the performers looked happy on the stage, like they were unleashed, like the present moment was all that they had. The show was interactive and theatrical, it had a structure and storyline. The sound crisp and clear not loud but you can’t hear a thing when the show is on, you are in the show, you’re in, you’re in. Once again music with guitars about love prevails. The Lighting helped with attention since there was a lot going on – acrobats flying all around the room and performers singing and dancing on stage simultaneously. 🔥 show! Crazy and weird costumes though, but it’s rock, Rockstars are not known for being normal. Unbelievable show! It was celebrative, joyous, fun and I was in awe most of the time. It was 🔥🔥🔥, nothing but fire emojies, this I mean in a literal sense, one of the performers was playing with fire like nunchucks while the acrobats were in the air doing their stuff, with the rest of the performers singing and dancing on stage simultaneously! Some of the songs performed were “Took the words right out of my mouth”, “two out off three ain’t bad”, “Rock and Roll dreams come true” and my absolute favorite “I would anything for love”  it was the last song. Yahto killed that last song, I really enjoyed that, I loved it! Congratulations Timothy Le Roux, The Cirk and the whole team for a great show and a deserved standing ovation.