Difference between revisions of "Julian Seleke Mokoto"

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(19**-19**) Playwright and theatre director. Director of Abangani Community Arts in Soweto and Abangani Theatre Productions.
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[[Julian Seleke Mokoto]]  (19**-) is a playwright and theatre director.  
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Also known as '''[[Julian Seleke-Mokoto]]'''
  
 
== Biography ==
 
== Biography ==
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Jabu Kumalo in [[Daily Sun]], December 2009: As a young man, Julian Seleke Mokoto lived for soccer. Not even in his wildest dreams did he imagine himself as an actor, let alone a playwright. Julian, from Naledi, was asked by a friend to accompany him to watch one of [[Gibson Kente]]’s greatest plays, ''[[Things Are Bad Mzala]]''. He was so inspired by the acting of one [[Eric Sugar Mlangeni]] that he was sold on theatre. Out of the blue he was invited by a friend to join a drama group and got a lead part in a performance. From then on, as they say, he never looked back. He got so hooked on theatre that whenever the director was late or absent, he would take over. By his second stage play, ''[[Khathatso]]'', he realised that he was a born actor and decided to abandon soccer. He then tried his hand at writing plays and came up with a hit called ''[[The Cause]]''. A director from Grahams­town was impressed and invited him to their annual festival. He was also invited to take the play to Zimbabwe and Botswana.
 
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After writing, directing and acting in a play called ''[[Hold Up The Sun]]'', he decided to quit acting and concentrate on writing and directing. He told Sun Buzz: “The idea was to create employment for other actors, because acting is their livelihood. Today I am proud that all my plays are performed to full houses. The reason I manage to put numbers in seats is because I write about social issues that are relevant to my audience. They identify with our stories. I have never written a flop!” Julian said. Though his shows have been successful, he says playwrights like him are not given enough chance to showcase their plays at places like the [[Market Theatre]], the [[Baxter Theatre]], [[The Playhouse]], [[Windybrow]] and the bigger commercial theatres.
 
  
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== Training ==
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Hailing from Naledi, he spent his youth focused on soccer, but then he was exposed to theatre by a friend whom he accompanied to a performance of [[Gibson Kente]]'s ''[[Things Are Bad Mzala]]'', featuring [[Eric Sugar Mlangeni]] and was thus inspired to join a drama group. Once he was cast in a leading role in a performance he was hooked.
  
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From the start he took on multiple duties and by his second stage role (in ''[[Khathatso]]''), he decided to abandon soccer.
  
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He then tried his hand at writing plays and came up with a hit called ''[[The Cause]]''. A director from Grahams­town was impressed and invited him to their annual festival. He was also invited to take the play to Zimbabwe and Botswana.
  
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== Career ==
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After writing, directing and acting in a play called ''[[Hold Up The Sun]]'', he decided to quit acting and concentrate on writing and directing. He thus went on to become the director of [[Abangani Community Arts]] in Soweto and [[Abangani Theatre Productions]].
  
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==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
  
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==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
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Among the plays written and directed by Mokoto have been: ''[[Mary, the Unfaithful Woman]]'', ''[[Hold Up The Sun]]'' (1995), ''[[The Cause]]'' (1997),''[[The Last Mile]]'' (1998), ''[[Blind Mind]]'' (2004),  ''[[Shattered Dreams]]'' (2004/2005), ''[[Tapping Hearts]]'' (2006), ''[[Money Maker]]'' (2009, revived in 2013), ''[[She Died Dreaming]]'' (2012/2013).
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Winner of two FNB Vita Awards. Has created productions such as ''[[Shattered Dreams]]'', ''[[Mary the Unfaithful Woman]]'', ''[[Blind Mind]]'', ''[[The Last Mile]]'', ''[[Tapping Hearts]]'' and ''[[The Cause]]''. Wrote and directed ''[[Hold Up The Sun]]'' (1995) at the the Abangani Community Arts in Soweto and staged at the [[Grahamstown Festival]] and in the [[Windybrow Theatre]]. Wrote and directed ''[[Money Maker]]'', which opened in 2009 at the [[Windybrow Theatre]] and was revived in 2013 at [[Mmabana Studio 1]], a sexually explicit and very popular play about sex workers. ''[[The Lies that Women tell]]'' (2012), with TV personality [[Nomsa Buthelezi]]. ''[[She Died Dreaming]]'' (2013), a play about four women trying to find love, presented by the [[Playhouse Company]] at the SA Women's Arts Festival in Durban.
 
  
 
== Awards, etc ==
 
== Awards, etc ==
  
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Winner of two FNB [[Vita Awards]].
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== Sources ==
  
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Anon. ''Sisters get a little help from Julian''. ''[[IOL]]'' (7 March, 2006)[https://www.iol.co.za/entertainment/whats-on/sisters-get-a-little-help-from-julian-937576]
  
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== Sources ==
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[[Jabu Kumalo]], interview in the ''[[The Daily Sun]]'', December 2009[http://152.111.1.87/argief/berigte/dailysun/2009/12/24/DJ/21/julian%20seleke-mokoto.html]
  
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Go to [[South African Theatre/Bibliography]]
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Material relating to the [[Abangani Theatre]] productions held by [[NELM]]: [Collection: MARKET THEATRE]: 2007. 32. 9. 199.
  
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http://152.111.1.87/argief/berigte/dailysun/2009/12/24/DJ/21/julian%20seleke-mokoto.html
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Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
  
 
== Return to ==
 
== Return to ==
  
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Return to [[ESAT Personalities  N]]  
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Return to [[ESAT Personalities  M]]  
  
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]

Latest revision as of 10:11, 6 May 2024

Julian Seleke Mokoto (19**-) is a playwright and theatre director.

Also known as Julian Seleke-Mokoto

Biography

Hailing from Naledi, he spent his youth focused on soccer, but then he was exposed to theatre by a friend whom he accompanied to a performance of Gibson Kente's Things Are Bad Mzala, featuring Eric Sugar Mlangeni and was thus inspired to join a drama group. Once he was cast in a leading role in a performance he was hooked.

From the start he took on multiple duties and by his second stage role (in Khathatso), he decided to abandon soccer.

He then tried his hand at writing plays and came up with a hit called The Cause. A director from Grahams­town was impressed and invited him to their annual festival. He was also invited to take the play to Zimbabwe and Botswana.

After writing, directing and acting in a play called Hold Up The Sun, he decided to quit acting and concentrate on writing and directing. He thus went on to become the director of Abangani Community Arts in Soweto and Abangani Theatre Productions.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

Among the plays written and directed by Mokoto have been: Mary, the Unfaithful Woman, Hold Up The Sun (1995), The Cause (1997),The Last Mile (1998), Blind Mind (2004), Shattered Dreams (2004/2005), Tapping Hearts (2006), Money Maker (2009, revived in 2013), She Died Dreaming (2012/2013).

Awards, etc

Winner of two FNB Vita Awards.

Sources

Anon. Sisters get a little help from Julian. IOL (7 March, 2006)[1]

Jabu Kumalo, interview in the The Daily Sun, December 2009[2]

Material relating to the Abangani Theatre productions held by NELM: [Collection: MARKET THEATRE]: 2007. 32. 9. 199.

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities M

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

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