The Alex Theatre Company & Academy is launching its HOMEcoming programme, a five-month series of quarterly theatre masterclasses aimed at empowering emerging artists in Alexandra township and across Gauteng.

Project co-ordinator Archie Oupa Matsetela said the initiative is about more than nostalgia, stating that it is about returning with something to give. “Alexandra has produced incredible artistic talent, and we want to create a space where established practitioners can transfer knowledge, mentor young people and help open doors for the next generation.”

Read more: FatherHood returns to Alexandra to cultivate local creative economy

The programme will bring established industry professionals, particularly those with roots in Alexandra, back to the community to share knowledge, professional experience and skills through practical training, mentorship and knowledge transfer in theatre, dance, music and stage management.

It will support young artists, aged 16 to 30, through structured workshops and opportunities to develop creative skills and career pathways. Each session will accommodate 30 participants, with the programme aiming to reach approximately 270 participants across nine workshops running from September 26 to February 2, 2027.

As part of the initiative, the Naledi Theatre Awards-nominated production Fatherhood will return to Alexandra for a special homecoming performance, following its successful run at the Market Theatre in October. The production explores fatherhood, masculinity, family relationships, identity, generational trauma and healing through theatre, music and storytelling.

Together, the two components seek to develop local talent, preserve Alexandra’s artistic heritage, increase access to professional arts opportunities, inspire young people and contribute to the growth of Gauteng’s creative economy.

The first of 10 scheduled masterclasses takes place on September 26, from 10:00 to 14:00 at the Alex Arts Academy, 12th Avenue, Alex Sankopano Centre in Alexandra. It will be facilitated by Bheki Mkhwane and focus on indigenous theatre.

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Mkhwane is a pioneer of theatre of the imagination, which fuses physical movement, vocal soundscapes and visual storytelling rooted in African tradition. With more than 40 years on stage, he has performed in 16 productions with the Loft Theatre Company, winning a Vita Award for Master Harold… and the Boys.

He also swept the KZN Vitas for Best Production, Best Actor and Best Script for Solomon’s Pride, created international touring works including A Boy Called Rubbish, Kaboom!, Amazwi Omoya and Skadonk, and is known to television audiences as Samson Ndlovu in Isibaya.

Booking is essential as space is limited. For more information or to book, contact 079 974 7178 or email info@alextca.co.za.

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