Samuel Ravengai

Samuel Ravengai (1970–) is a performer trainer, director, theatre maker and academic.

Biography

Born Samuel Ravengai in the Midlands Province, in Mberengwa District in Zimbabwe. He completed his aschooling at Chegato High School, where he read arts subjects, joining a Drama Club run under the auspices of Agriculture Society. He distinguished himself as "Macbeth" in the school production of William Shakespeare's play in 1988.

He graduated from the University of Zimbabwe with a BA (Theatre and English) in 1994 and BA Honours in Theatre Arts in 1995. He then went to the University of Cape Town, graduating with a Master’s in Theatre and Performance in 2002 and PhD in Theatre and Performance in 2012.

He joined the University of the Witwatersrand in 2014, becoming an Associate Professor and heading the Department of Theatre and Performance at Wits between 2016 to 2020, after which he became Head of Graduate Studies at the Wits School of Arts.

He is the current co-Editor of the South African Theatre Journal and co-author of the book Theatre from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe (published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2021).

He is particularly interested in the interconnection of race, nation, empire, migration and ethnicity with cultural production. He is currently involved in the research project called Afroscenology which seeks to propound and document a theory on African and Diasporic aesthetics based on their practice across several years. His book, Decolonizing African Theatre, which features this new theory, is in production with Cambridge University Press.

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

As director

2017. Directed Marechera Sketches, based on Dambudzo Marechera’s The Alley and Killwatch, Wits Main Theatre| work done with Wits students|

2. 2015. Directed Vumani Oedipus, adapted from Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, Market Theatre| Barney Simon Theatre| work done with Wits and Market Lab students|

3. 2014. Directed No Good Friday, Athol Fugard, Wits Downstairs Theatre. Johannesburg| work done with Wits BADA students|

4. 2012. Directed Qaphela Merman, Workshop theatre with UZ BA Honours students, Beit Hall Theatre. Harare

5. 2007. Directed Anatol, Arthur Schnitzler, Harare Repertory Theatre, Harare| work done with Theory X Theatre Company|

6. 2007. Directed Decades of Terror, Daniel Maphosa, Theatre-in-the-Park, Harare (Work done with Savannah Arts Trust)

7. 2007. Directed Hill View, Tawanda Kanengoni, Standard Theatre, Harare International Festival of the Arts 2007| work done with Theory X Theatre Company|

8. 2007. Directed Upcoming Playwright’s Interview, Tafadzwa Muzondo, Aon Zimbabwe Theatre, Harare International Festival of the Arts 2007| work done with Theory X Theatre Company|.

9. 2005. Directed The Lion and the Jewel, Wole Soyinka, Beit-Hall, Harare

10. 2005. Directed Muramu, Stephen Chifunyise, Theatre-in-the-Park, Harare| work done with Rooftop Promotions|

11. 2004. Directed Waiting for Godot, Samuel Beckett, Beit Hall, UZ, Harare

12. 2004. Directed Antigone, Jean Anouilh, Beit Hall, UZ, Harare.

13. 2004. Directed One for the Road, Harold Pinter, Beit Hall, UZ, Harare.

14. 2003. Directed The Dilemma of a Ghost, Ata Aidoo, Beit Hall, UZ, Harare.

15. 2003. Directed Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller, Beit Hall, UZ, Harare.

16. 2001. Directed Trauma Centre, Samuel Ravengai, Little Theatre, University of Cape Town.

17. 2000. Directed On the Brink, Samuel Ravengai, Playroom, University of Cape Town.

As performer

2001. Played "Philemon" in The Suit, directed by Chris Weare

1995. Hopes of the Living Dead as Nweke, directed by Dr Fani Kayode Omoregie

1995. Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again as journalist, directed by Dr Fani Kayode Omoregie.

1994. Waiting for Lefty as Dr Barnes, directed by Dr Robert McLaren (Robert Kavanagh Mshengu)

1992. The Darkness of Our Light as Mr. Rawlings, directed by Dr Robert McLaren (Robert Mshengu Kavanagh)

=Television

He created the Studio 263 (a prime-time daily soap opera) story for the 2004 – 2005 story and designed treatments and step outlines for all Studio 263 episodes from September 2004 to 2007. He was Associate Director for Studio 263, flighted on Mnet-Africa Magic, Zambia NBC and the British Channel OBTV. He was Consultant Script Editor for, Studio 263, for the period 2004 – 2007

He wrote and directed a documentary film commissioned by SIRDC for ZTV entitled, Food Fair 2005. and Producer/Director of Munhumutapa African Broadcasting Corporation (MABC) Television (1997-1998).

He was screen actor and performed as Aaron in Garikayi, directed by Arnold Shoko and aired on Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation TV in 1995.

Consultancy/Technical/Professional Reports

2012. World Bank. Short term Consultant with PREM Unit. Editorial work

2012. Giving Voice to the Artists: The Impact of Current Cultural Policy on Zimbabwean Arts. For Arterial Network-Zimbabwe

2008. Political Theatre under Threat: The Impact of POSA, AIPPA and Censorship on Theatre Making in Zimbabwe. For Savannah Trust: Harare

2002. Report on the Operations of ZBC’s Productions Strategic Business Unit. For Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBCTV): Harare.

Other achievements/awards/appointments

2022 Editorial Board member, Palgrave Macmillan's series on Performance and Migration 2022 Editorial Board member, Imbizo Journal of Literary Studies. UNISA Press 2021 Editor South African Theatre Journal 2010-11. Awarded the UCT International Scholarship 2010. Awarded the UCT Research Associateship and rated ‘A’ Researcher 2009-10. IFTR/FIRT Award (Lisbon and Munich) 2010. Victoria League English Speech Award 2009, 11. Rosalie Van de Gucht Award 2010-11 Canon Collins Ros Moger/Terry Furlong Award 2007. Directed Anatol, written by Arthur Schnitzler, Harare Repertory Theatre, Harare, Work done with Theory X Theatre Company, 2005. Nominated Most Outstanding Theatre Production at the 2008 National Arts Merit Award ceremony, Seven Arts Harare for the play Muramu, written by Stephen Chifunyise, Theatre-in-the-Park, Harare. 2005-2006. Directed Studio 263, a soap opera produced by Afro Eye Film and Video Productions and screened on national Television; it scooped the Best Soap Opera Award at the National Arts Merit Award 2005 and 2006, Harare Sheraton and Seven Arts. 2001. The play which he featured as the main character (Philemon) in Can Themba’s The Suit won the Marta Best Production award at the Brno Setkani/Encounter Festival in the Czech Republic, 2001. The play was directed by Chris Weare and Heike Gehring, UCT

Sources

CV provided by Samuel Ravengai, 30 January, 2023.

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