John Ledwaba
John Maolusi Ledwaba (19**-2017). Actor, director, playwright.
Contents
Biography
He acted in his first play at 15. As Soweto schoolboy in 1976 he tried unsuccessfully to escape into exile. He died in December 2017.
Training
Career
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
He worked for Soyikwa Theatre and helped to workshop and performed in Matsemela Manaka’s Egoli: City of Gold (1979), for which he developed the famous vomiting scene. Also developed and played the political leader in Simon & Co’s Black Dog-Inj'emnyama! (1984) .
In 1982 he performed at the Edinburgh Festival in the one man show Vuka.
Peter Se-Puma’s Hamba Dompas was directed by Nomsa Nene with the author and Ledwaba at the Laager in January 1986.
He wrote, directed, choreographed and composed Jozi Jozi Guide which was staged at the Windybrow in 1993.
Wrote the play Lona Basadi (1983), Black Dog-Inj'emnyama! (1983) with Barney Simon, in association with the Market Theatre, Township Boy (1987) - with Christo van Rensburg and Mamu Players, in association with the Market Theatre.
He performed at the Edinburgh Festival in the one-hander Vuka, in Black Dog-Inj'emnyama! and in the Mamu Players' Township Fever and Street Sisters.
His play Moja Moja was performed at the 1995 Grahamstown Festival.
Awards, etc
1995 Standard Bank Young Artist Award Winner for Drama.
Sources
Tucker, 1997. 442, 525.
Sunday Times, 25 June 1995.
Death of John Ledwaba a great loss to SA theatre industry – Zuma The Citizen, 29 December 2017.
Go to ESAT Bibliography
Return to
Return to ESAT Personalities L
Return to South African Theatre Personalities
Return to The ESAT Entries
Return to Main Page