Difference between revisions of "Nomathemba"

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''[[Nomathemba]]'' is a play by [[Eric Simonson]], [[Joseph Shabalala]] () and [[Ntozake Shange]]
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''[[Nomathemba]]'' ("hope") is a play by Eric Simonson (1960-)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Simonson], [[Joseph Shabalala]] (1941-2020) and Ntozake Shange (1948-2018)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ntozake_Shange].
  
 
==The original text==
 
==The original text==
  
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The play's title comes from the song "Nomathemba", written by [[Joseph Shabalala]] (1940–2020) round about 1965, the play was created and performed by Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago in 1995.  
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The play's title comes from the song "Nomathemba", written by [[Joseph Shabalala]] (1940–2020) round about 1965, the play was created for Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago in 1995.  
  
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The story, written by [[Eric Simonson]], [[Joseph Shabalala]] and [[Ntozake Shange]], a timeless tale of love, is very much of the present age, set in a post-apartheid South Africa where the horror of death is still a vivid memory and where the promise of a new way of life is not all that sure.
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The plot, jointly created/written by Simonson, Shabalala and Shange, is set in post-apartheid South Africa and uses the familiar "Jim comes to Jo'burg" theme, to tell the story of the spirited and restless young rural village girl "Nomathemba", who is being courted by the proud and handsome "Bongani", nevertheless decides to go to the big city of Johannesburg to "find herself".  Bongani pursues her and they both go through many changes and suffer many hardships before they are at last reunited and marry.
  
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In outline, it is a very simple story, about Nomathemba, a spirited and restless young village girl who, though robustly courted by the proud and handsome Bongani, decides to find her "special corner to turn" by striking out for the big city of Johannesburg.
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The premier production was created for and produced by Steppenwolf Theatre,Chicago, in 1995. Directed by Eric Simonson, with choreography by [[Joseph Shabalala]], the cast consisted of Vanita Harbour (1968-)[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0361967/](playing "Nomathemba") and Ntare Mwine(1967-) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ntare_Mwine] (playing "Bongani") and a cast of 23 South African and African-American players, including [[Dumisani Dlamini]] as a shrewd, snappy man of the streets. Set design was by Loy Arcenas, costumes by Karin Kopischke and lighting by James F. Ingalls. The play
  
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Both Nomathemba and Bongani, who pursues her, must go through many changes and suffer many hardships before they are at last reunited. But when they do find each other again, in a meeting that s the Steppenwolf stage alive with joy.
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It also played in the Kennedy Center, Washington (April 1996) and at Boston’s Shubert Theatre.
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Directed by [[Eric Simonson]], with choreography by [[Joseph Shabalala]], the cast consisted of [[Vanita Harbour]] ("Nomathemba") and [[Ntare Mwine]], ("Bongani") and a cast of 23 South African and African-American players, including [[Dumisani Dlamini]] as a shrewd, snappy man of the streets.
 
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And though the sweet and pure love story remains paramount, that story is enriched tenfold by the wealth of images and visions that Simonson, Shabalala (also the production's choreographer) and have put into their script.
 
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These images have been strikingly realized in designer Loy Arcenas' setting, which in turn has been complemented by the bright costumes of Karin Kopischke and shaped by the brilliant lighting of James F. Ingalls, the great sculptor of light in American stage design.
 
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The scene consists chiefly of a dark wooden platform, backed by a South African tapestry and, at stage right, a small, blooming tree.
 
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Here, under this tree, occur three transcendent moments in "Nomathemba," moments that summarize and symbolize the tragedy, hope and promise of the play.
 
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The first comes when Bongani and his friend, on their way to Johannesburg, come upon a young woman who has horribly lost every member of her family and is in deep, unconsolable mourning. The second comes in that exalted moment when Nomathemba and Bongani are reunited.
 
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The third moment I will leave for you to discover. It comes at the very end of the play, after the eruption of color and movement and song in the wedding ceremony, and after all the other actors have left the stage. It is silent and still, and so profoundly touching in the feelings of mystery, joy and sorrow it evokes, that it will bring you to tears and raise you from your seat.
 
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==Translations and adaptations==
 
==Translations and adaptations==
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== Performance history in South Africa ==
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
  
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As far as can be ascertained, the play has not been performed in South Africa yet.
  
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== Sources ==
  
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== Sources ==
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Richard Christiansen. 1995. "''Nomathemba'' raises hopes, and fulfills them", ''The Chicago Tribune'' 10 April 1995.[https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1995-04-10-9504100157-story.html]
  
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Richard Christiansen, Tribune Chief Critic. `NOMATHEMBA' RAISES HOPES, AND FULFILLS THEM,  
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J. Wynn Rousuck. 1996. "''Nomathemba'' sings of hope, wariness,  Theater Review: Musical is joyous storytelling, but offers a reminder of what was in apartheid South Africa", ''The Baltimore Sun'', 23 April, 1996[https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1996-04-23-1996114125-story.html]
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CHICAGO TRIBUNE 10 April 1995.[https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1995-04-10-9504100157-story.html]
 
  
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Shabalala
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Shabalala
  
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https://calperformances.org/learn/program_notes/2005/pn_Ladysmith.pdf
  
 
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
 
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]

Latest revision as of 15:08, 21 February 2021

Nomathemba ("hope") is a play by Eric Simonson (1960-)[1], Joseph Shabalala (1941-2020) and Ntozake Shange (1948-2018)[2].

The original text

The play's title comes from the song "Nomathemba", written by Joseph Shabalala (1940–2020) round about 1965, the play was created for Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago in 1995.

The plot, jointly created/written by Simonson, Shabalala and Shange, is set in post-apartheid South Africa and uses the familiar "Jim comes to Jo'burg" theme, to tell the story of the spirited and restless young rural village girl "Nomathemba", who is being courted by the proud and handsome "Bongani", nevertheless decides to go to the big city of Johannesburg to "find herself". Bongani pursues her and they both go through many changes and suffer many hardships before they are at last reunited and marry.

The premier production was created for and produced by Steppenwolf Theatre,Chicago, in 1995. Directed by Eric Simonson, with choreography by Joseph Shabalala, the cast consisted of Vanita Harbour (1968-)[3](playing "Nomathemba") and Ntare Mwine(1967-) [4] (playing "Bongani") and a cast of 23 South African and African-American players, including Dumisani Dlamini as a shrewd, snappy man of the streets. Set design was by Loy Arcenas, costumes by Karin Kopischke and lighting by James F. Ingalls. The play

It also played in the Kennedy Center, Washington (April 1996) and at Boston’s Shubert Theatre.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

As far as can be ascertained, the play has not been performed in South Africa yet.

Sources

Richard Christiansen. 1995. "Nomathemba raises hopes, and fulfills them", The Chicago Tribune 10 April 1995.[5]

J. Wynn Rousuck. 1996. "Nomathemba sings of hope, wariness, Theater Review: Musical is joyous storytelling, but offers a reminder of what was in apartheid South Africa", The Baltimore Sun, 23 April, 1996[6]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Shabalala

https://calperformances.org/learn/program_notes/2005/pn_Ladysmith.pdf

Go to ESAT Bibliography

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