For those who met actor Khaya Dladla through TV shows such as Uzalo and House of Zwide, they would assume she’s only been an actor on those shows.
However, Dladla says she has been a theatre practitioner for more than 15 years.
“Before you guys met me, I had 17 years of stage performances,” Dladla tells The Citizen. She made her return to stage in seven years as part of ongoing production Zibuyile Emasisweni Musical.
Directed by former Muvhango actor Makalo Mofokeng, produced by Londiwe Debra Mthembu with Meme Kgatitsoe as the executive producer, the musical is being staged at the Dumisani Masilela Theatre in Germiston.
D’Londs Arts Academy presents the production in collaboration with the city of Ekurhuleni.
Zibuyile Emasisweni Musical runs until this Saturday.
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Theatre is Dladla’s first love
“Theatre is my first love. I never even wanted to work in television because I didn’t know it that well.”
She says she said yes to joining the cast of Zibuyela Emasisweni because she wanted a challenge.
“It’s just nice to get another challenge, to play something completely different. Because sometimes we’ll be on long-running shows like soapies and telenovelas and we get a little bit complacent with the characters we play. So, sometimes you need something outside of it so that you bring it back better and fresher.”
The last play she was part of was How Long in 2018, which was written by Gibson Kente in the early ’70s.
The play ran at the Playhouse in Durban and was directed by Duma Ndlovu.
“That one I took because it had been last staged in 1982, when the likes of Ndaba Mhlongo and Mary Twala were part of the cast.”
For the current play, Dladla is working with a young cast and she says she tries not to impose herself on them as a more experienced practitioner.
“I remember being that young and having older people impose their message on me, telling me what you should be doing, what you shouldn’t be doing. I normally just share what has worked for me and what didn’t work for me…but I am an open book to whoever comes to me. I try to be the person I wish I had when I started out.”
Zibuyela Emasisweni does not have a star-studded cast you’d expect an actor like Dladla to take on and it’s showing in Germiston, not in some of the country’s most prominent theatres. Renowned actor Thulani Mtsweni is also part of the cast.
“You know how many great songs have been made in a back room, instead of a Universal studios. A backroom studio can make a great song. You can never look at the location and determine the quality of what you want,” says the thespian.
She says that the Zibuyela Emasisweni venue was a compelling one. She makes an example of K-Cap, a theatre in KwaMashu Durban which has produced actors that have gone on to perform on world stages.
“It’s about you sharpening your skills, location doesn’t matter. I take the theatre space serious, whether it’s in Soweto, Umlazi or in the CBD. It’s how I respect the craft itself.”
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Diversifying herself
Dlada is an actor, singer, DJ and all-around performer who has even dabbled in copywriting, PR and casting director.
“Performers are famous for being known to die poor,” says Dladla about her reason for not wanting to remain in one box.
“During Covid, people were losing houses, losing cars because the only thing you know how to do, physically needs you.”
“If you’re not on stage, there’s other ways of making money. There are other ways and other avenues to sustain myself in the industry.”
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