Samuel Ravengai
Samuel Ravengai (1970–) is a performer trainer, director, theatre maker and academic.
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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[1] 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.
Between 1992 and 1995 and 2002 and 2007 he taught and did theatre work as actor and director for the University of Zimbabwe and various companies in Zimbabwe while continuing his studies in South Africa, where the coursework included some acting and directing in Cape Town. In 2014 he joined the University of the Witwatersrand as lecturer and he would become an Associate Professor and head the Department of Theatre and Performance between 2016 and 2020, after which he was made Head of Graduate Studies at the Wits School of Arts and in 2023 appointed Assistant Dean Graduate Studies: Humanities at the University of the Witwatersrand.
He is the current co-Editor of the South African Theatre Journal, an Editorial Board member for Palgrave Macmillan's series on Performance and Migration and an Editorial Board member for the Imbizo Journal of Literary Studies (UNISA Press).
Book publications include co-author of Theatre from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe (published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2021) and author of Decolonizing African Theatre, an upcoming publication deriving from a research project called Afroscenology, that explores theories of African and Diasporic aesthetics, based on theatrical practice across several years.
Contribution to Zimbabwean theatre, film, media and/or performance
As actor
In 1992 he played "Mr. Rawlings" in The Darkness of Our Light and in 1994 played "Dr Barnes" in Waiting for Lefty (Eugene O'Neill), both plays directed by Robert McLaren (Robert Mshengu Kavanagh). In 1995 he appeared in two plays directed by Fani Kayode Omoregie (Hopes of the Living Dead, as "Nweke" and Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again as journalist).
As stage director
In Harare he directed a large number of stage plays between 2004 and 2012, working with students at the University of Zimbabwe and the Theory X Theatre Company, for institutions like Rooftop Promotions, the Harare Repertory Theatre, the Savannah Arts Trust and the International Festival of the Arts.
Works directed have included Death of a Salesman (Arthur Miller), The Dilemma of a Ghost (Ata Aidoo), Waiting for Godot (Samuel Beckett), Antigone (Jean Anouilh), One for the Road (Harold Pinter), Anatol by Arthur Schnitzler, The Lion and the Jewel (Wole Soyinka), Decades of Terror (Daniel Maphosa), Hill View (Tawanda Kanengoni), Muramu (Stephen Chifunyise),
2012. Directed Qaphela Merman, Workshop theatre with UZ BA Honours students, Beit Hall Theatre. Harare
2007. Directed Anatol by Arthur Schnitzler for the Harare Repertory Theatre, Harare| work done with Theory X Theatre Company|
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.
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.
Film and TV work included 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.
As actor, writer and director for 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 TV actor and performed as "Aaron" in Garikayi, directed by Arnold Shoko and aired on Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation TV in 1995.
Consultancy/Technical/Professional Reports
2002. Report on the Operations of ZBC’s Productions Strategic Business Unit. For Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBCTV): Harare.
2008. Political Theatre under Threat: The Impact of POSA, AIPPA and Censorship on Theatre Making in Zimbabwe. For Savannah Trust: Harare
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
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
As director
2001. Wrote and directed Trauma Centre in the Little Theatre, University of Cape Town.
2000. Wrote and directed On the Brink in The Playroom, University of Cape Town.
2014. Directed No Good Friday by Athol Fugard in the Wits Downstairs Theatre, with Wits BA Dramatic Art students.
2015. Directed Vumani Oedipus, adapted from Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex in the Barney Simon Theatre, with Wits and Market Lab students.
2017. Directed Marechera Sketches, based on Dambudzo Marechera's The Alley and Killwatch, Wits Main Theatre, with Wits students.
As performer
2001. Played "Philemon" in The Suit, directed by Chris Weare
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
Sources
CV provided by Samuel Ravengai, 30 January, 2023.
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