Fresh from its Naledi Award win for Best Student Production, Godspell returns to the Wits Theatre from August 27 to September 7, this time with Yahto Kraft as Jesus.

Kraft, a performer, storyteller, and costume designer from Randburg, says his goal on stage is simple. “I want the audience to feel something. My job is to spark conversation, thought, or emotion.”

That commitment became clear during rehearsals. Performing the Finale for the first time left him shaken. “Seeing fellow cast members sobbing with me changed how I viewed the role, and Jesus’ journey in the show.”

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The production, based on the Gospel of Matthew, carries themes of forgiveness and community. Kraft says those values resonate with him personally. “I grew up in a household that valued love and forgiveness. This show has healed something in me, and I hope it does the same for the audience.”

He highlights Beautiful City as a favourite moment. “It inspires hope and change, which feels more urgent now than ever.”

Preparing for the role has required strict vocal routines and emotional discipline. “The expectation is so high that I’ve had to surrender myself to the text, the research, and our director.”

Kraft praised the Oakfields College cast and his co-star, Grant Towers, who returns as Judas. “Grant is a master at his craft. His performance makes my job easy and heartbreaking at the same time.”

For Kraft, joining a production first staged in South Africa in 1973, a landmark for defying apartheid laws, is an honour. “We are carrying that legacy forward, striving for more inclusivity and opportunities for all.”

He hopes audiences leave inspired. “I want them to take away a message of hope, and go home with a smile on their faces.”

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