Tribute to SA's great women of song
13 August 2008
The latest Absa and Packed House Productions' offering, African Queens, a new revue staged in the style of a Broadway musical revue, runs at Pretoria's State from 20 September to 5 October.
African Queens showcases six up-and-coming female vocalists accompanied by a live band, and focuses on hit songs made famous by established African singers from the 1950s to the present.
Rising stars Labella, Hlengiwe Madlala, Rene Mabotha, Nobuntu Mpahlaza, Yollandi Nortjie and Nqobile Sipamla will perform the well-known hits of the likes of Miriam Makeba, Brenda Fassie, Dolly Rathebe and others.
Together with the songs, the performers will give insights and entertaining snippets about the colourful lives of each of these great South African women of song.
African Queens is created and directed by Genna Lewis (Diva!, Soweto Story, Fiddler on the Roof), with musical direction and arrangement by Tshepo Mngoma, who won critical acclaim for his musical direction of Ain't Misbehavin'.
African Queens forms part of an audience development programme partnership between Absa Bank and Packed House Productions that began with the musical Soweto Story at the Johannesburg Civic Theatre in 2007.
The programme aims to provide a uniquely South African musical theatre experience to the South African community at an affordable price.
Musical theatre has historically been a white tradition in South Africa, and as a result most of the large musical theatre offerings have been distinctly European. African Queens, like Soweto Story before it, will provide a true African musical experience with content that it is uniquely South African.
African Queens performances are on Wednesday, Thursdays and Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 3pm and 8pm and Sundays at 2pm. Tickets (R85 to R125) are available through Computicket.
SAinfo reporter
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