The Playhouse Company in-house school season during May 2010 will feature a stage adaptation of PB Maphumulo’s isiZulu novel, Kudela Owaziyo.

The novel is prescribed for KwaZulu-Natal matric learners and the stage production of this literature set-work will tour to various schools and venues in districts of KwaZulu-Natal and will also be staged in the Opera theatre of The Playhouse performing to grade 10 – 12 learners from schools in these regions.

Auditions for actors to take part in this schools “edutainment production” will be held on Tuesday, 16 February from 2pm – 4pm in Rehearsal Room A1 situated at The Playhouse Company, 29 Acutt Street.

Interested artists between the ages of 20 and 50 must book their rehearsal time by calling Thanduxolo Xulu on 031 369 9467 during weekdays between 2pm and 4pm before Monday, 15 February. Only artists who have booked their rehearsal time will be auditioning.

Casting will be for four male and four female roles. Actors will be required to sing in tune, move well and must be able to project this story to large audiences of pupils.

The roles available include Mamlanduli, a mother figure with the skills to portray the role of Hashane, a rich male official; Hlengiwe/Zayeka, an energetic, loud person, preferably tall and slender; Mbhabhezeleli, a male artist who can pass as an old man with a rural Zulu accent; Londiwe, a good-looking young female character, preferably with dancing skills; Manqina/Zenyezile, a woman “of stature” who can also portray a “handsome, well-built man” and Khombephi, a young handsome male character, who is strong and a flexible dancer.

Characteristics, appearance, intonation and accents of individuals will be assessed in relation to the characters in the novel.