When Natalija Cerimaj first walked into an audition for the Franklin Players in 2023, her heart was racing.

Surrounded by strangers, she questioned whether she belonged. But beneath the nerves was an excitement she couldn’t ignore – a feeling that leaping over community theatre was exactly where she was meant to be.

She was right.

Today, Cerimaj is far more than an actor with the Roosevelt Park-based Franklin Players. She has stepped behind the curtain too, trying her hand at directing, playwriting and helping with the countless behind-the-scenes roles that keep the volunteer-run theatre group alive.

Read more: Franklin Players chairperson points out why community theatre still matters

Her journey began after university when she found herself missing the thrill of performing. She loved being in stage productions in high school. After school, she found herself having become restless – in need of a place to flex her acting muscles again.

A quick internet search introduced her to the Franklin Players, but instead of immediately joining, she attended the group’s 2022 One Act Play Festival to experience it for herself. “When the curtain fell after the final performance, I went home starry-eyed,” she recalled. “I couldn’t wait to be part of it.” The following year, despite overwhelming nerves, she auditioned. “I knew even then that I wouldn’t regret taking the leap.”

That single decision transformed far more than her acting. “The friends I’ve made have to be the most precious thing. A lot of adults say it’s difficult to make meaningful friendships after school or university. Franklin Players helped me find ‘my people.’”

She believes community theatre offers something unique that even the biggest professional productions cannot. “Community theatre takes the art back into the hands of amateurs – people who do it out of love rather than money.”

It is this shared passion that has kept the Franklin Players thriving since 1962. Based at the Roosevelt Park Recreation Centre, the group has spent more than six decades bringing stories to life while evolving alongside South Africa itself.

Each year, audiences can enjoy the competitive One Act Play Festival, a mid-year showcase celebrating performers from across Joburg and the ever-popular family pantomime, where music, laughter and audience participation take centre stage.

For Cerimaj, theatre is about far more than memorising lines. It is about building sets together, solving problems together, celebrating opening nights together and supporting one another through every challenge. She still laughs when remembering the 2023 mid-year production, where months of rehearsals and painstaking set construction culminated in an unforgettable final performance – complete with a pot plant dramatically toppling over on stage. “It honestly added to the chaos of the play.”

Like many community organisations, however, the Franklin Players face ongoing financial challenges. Run entirely by volunteers, the group relies on ticket sales, fundraising and donations to keep productions alive. When thieves broke into the recreation centre and stole the group’s ageing stage lights, members and supporters rallied together to raise enough money to replace them. “It showed how much people care.”

Also read: Who is behind Franklin Players latest pantomime?

Cerimaj believes supporting local theatre is about far more than buying a ticket. “Human beings have always been telling stories to connect, process emotions and pass on knowledge, and community theatre keeps that tradition alive while making live performance accessible to everyone.

She also hopes more people realise they don’t need years of experience to become involved. Whether someone dreams of acting, directing, building sets, managing productions or simply lending a helping hand backstage, there is a place for them. “Acting isn’t some magical talent that only a few people have – it’s a skill anyone can learn.”

Looking ahead, she is excited for the Franklin Players’ upcoming Playground Fest on July 31 and August 1, a celebration of local theatre societies and creative experimentation, before the group’s much-loved annual pantomime returns later this year. “I invite everyone to come and watch just one production. The quality of talent in our own backyard is incredible. Local arts are the soil where great things grow, and supporting them helps keep culture alive in a hyper-digital world.”

For Cerimaj, community theatre didn’t just give her another opportunity to perform. It gave her confidence, lifelong friendships and a place where passion takes centre stage every time the curtain rises.

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