Zizipho Matu is an actress and director who holds a Drama degree obtained from University of Free State. With 6 years of experience as an actor and educational theatre director, Zizipho has played roles from the works of Shakespeare to those of theatre practitioner Athol Fugard. She is known for her wit, stern discipline and fierce concentration as an approach to training her actors. In years of honing the craft She has won an award for best supporting actress. One of her biggest achievements was being part of a human trafficking awareness campaign whose aim was to educate people of all ages and ethnicities about the dangers of social media and human trafficking. This was performed at schools and at the Vrytstaat Arts Festival. Zizipho was also a panel judge for the National Arts Festival,
working alongside the great Mandisi Sindo, the founder of Shack Theatre. To hone her craft,
she attends workshops by renowned actors like Jerry Mofokeng and Camilla Waldman. She teaches voice and body movement training to children at her place of residence, free of
charge. She has an ability to interpret drama, and loves watching theatre productions. Zizipho Matu’s works are exemplary of Afrocentrism with dramas that are rich in themes which teach and encourage a sense of community.

Born in the Free State, Nomthandazo Nxabela is a writer, actress, teacher and poet. She obtained her Ba Drama and Theatre Arts degree at the University of the Free State and went on to do her postgraduate degree in Film and Visual Media. Nomthandazo has written for online magazines such as Odd Magazine and the Sock Drawer. In 2021 she was part of the national anthology: “Coronicles”. She has done other works in the theatre including but not limited to being an assistant director and dialogue facilitator for the stage play Psalm 69; She has done stage management work for theatre productions such as Some Mothers’ Sons by the highly acclaimed playwright, Mike van Graan. She was a panel judge for the Standard Bank Ovation awards in 2019 for the Fringe Festival. Nomthandazo is known for her involvement in educational institutions as an artist and has facilitated dialogues, and taken part in the Global Leader Summit. To date she has joined the Philosophy Cohort for
Critical Thinking at the University of Wits, staying true to her belief in the power of education. She continues to write poetry, theatre and Film scripts.

Stella Benbooi started her musical journey in 1999 at a music school called Musicon where she had her first Orchestral experience. Later that year she joined the Bochabela String Orchestra where she met a few artists and an opportunity to collaborate with the Violet Orchestra from Belgium and touring around South Africa and Europe. She has participated in the Sanlam Competition twice in a row in 2001 and 2002. She played for the Free-State Youth Orchestra, Free-State Symphony Orchestra and The South African National Orchestra and also had a tour with them to Europe in 2005. She has participated in the Stellenbosch Chamber Fest and was invited to the International Musical Mundi Chamber Festival in Belgium. She moved to Durban to play for the Kwazulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra and she was a Cadet for 4 years; during that period, she got invited to join the
Royal konsert Gebou Cadets for Quartet and Quintet performances. In that time that she has been with KZNPO she has gained more experience especially towards working with
different artists in Classical music, Jazz, African, Soul Music, RnB-POP, Opera, Ballet and Musicals. The KZNPO has worked with Artists like Sibongile Khumalo, Lloyd Cele, Yvonne Chaka-Chaka, Aubrey Poo, Lira. She performed with Nasty C recently under the Muses and she played at Mr Nelson Mandela’s funeral, as well as at Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s funeral. Stella Benbooi is currently a freelancer doing solo performances mostly in classical music and pop and she continues learning new things and different genres in the field of music and Theatre.

Valentine Nombulelo Nyeleke is a qualified Production Coordinator graduated from AFDA Johannesburg. She also obtained Her BA Degree in Motion Pictures from the same
institution, AFDA Johannesburg. Her experience includes working with production companies such as Dark child as a Trainee Director, Makeup assistant and assistant Production Co-Ordinator. She also worked with Black Brain Pictures where she interned as an assistant production coordinator. She also has varsity level experience where she has learned more about different departments. She has been exposed to different departments such as Directing, sound design, camera, editing, writing and acting. Valentine is known for her impeccable work ethic. Having been trained at a highly acclaimed institution, her vigour and deep understanding for the role of Stage Management and the seeing through of the daily operations of the production is appreciated. Valentine has worked on numerous sets and continues to uphold her excellence in Theatre Management.