South African stars align in musical extravaganza at Artscape in support of the Kolisi Foundation
The South African musical cast have been announced as part of a stellar line-up for FINDING THE LIGHT – AN EVENING WITH MUSICAL THEATRE STARS.
The production offers audiences the chance to experience the exhilarating power of some of musical theatre’s best loved shows, with 100% of net proceeds going towards supporting the phenomenal work of the Kolisi Foundation. The organisation was set up by Siya and Rachel Kolisi in 2019 to tackle some of the toughest challenges facing South African communities.
FINDING THE LIGHT – AN EVENING WITH MUSICAL THEATRE STARS is the culmination of a coordinated international fundraising drive with the Kolisi Foundation.
This musical theatre showpiece will run at Artscape Opera House from 17th to 21st April 2024, with the Gala Night on Thursday 18th April 2024.
Bookings can be made at Webtickets. VIP experience packages are available and include welcome sparkling wine and prime seating.
Accompanied by the full Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, and hosted by Cape Town’s very own Marc Lottering, FINDING THE LIGHT – AN EVENING WITH MUSICAL THEATRE STARS promises a visual and auditory kaleidoscope in celebration of our humanity and our collective search for the light.
“We are honoured to have some of South Africa’s finest musical theatre talent joining us on stage for Finding the Light,” says Jessica Ross, the London-based Executive Producer of the show and co-founder of Finding The Light Foundation.
“Inspired by the concept that ‘singing connects us’, our wonderful guest artists and audiences come together for a fabulous evening of entertainment, whilst investing in the incredible work of the Kolisi Foundation,” says Ross.
“We will be announcing the exciting international artist line-up soon”
“Some of South Africa’s most treasured leading ladies and gentlemen have been secured for Finding the Light,” says Daniel Galloway, who is producing the event alongside Jessica Ross.
“We are delighted to announce that Jonathan Roxmouth, Lynelle Kenned, Tshepo Ncokoane and Lucy Tops will be part of the line-up, accompanied by the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra. These artists need no introduction to local musical fans, and we can’t wait for first time theatre-goers to experience the powerhouse, captivating voices of these mega-talented performers.”
Jonathan Roxmouth (Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, Cats) has graced national and international stages, dazzling audiences with his velvet voice, captivating on-stage charisma and all-round, consummate talent. As part of the world tour of Phantom of The Opera, Jonathan made history as youngest English-speaking Phantom yet and won the Philippines’ Broadway World Award for his performance. This will be the last time, in some time to come, that South African musical theatre fans can catch Jonathan on home soil!
Other international credits include Chicago, Evita, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a reprise of Phantom of the Opera and Grease. His most recent success has been Swingle Bells at The Teatro at Montecasino, in December 2023, where over 12 000 audience members revelled in the Christmas spirit. To date, Jonathan has released 11 studio albums that are now available for download and is in constant demand on local and international stages across the globe.
Lynelle Kenned (West Side Story, The Sound of Music, Orpheus in Africa) has become one of the most popular and sought-after cross over musical theatre performers. Performances include Maria in West Side Story, Maria in The Sound of Music, Mattie Allen in Orpheus in Africa, Musetta in La Boheme, Julie in Showboat, Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, and Grace in the world premiére of Calling Me Home.
Her list of awards include a 2023 Fiësta for Best Classical Music presentation, 2022 Woordtrofee, the Kunste Onbeperk YOUNG VOICE 2019, a 2018 Naledi Award, a Fiësta Award in 2017, and a Fleur du Cap Award in 2016. Since 2012, she’s been a television presenter on Pasella, and subsequently hosting other shows on KykNET and VIA respectively.
Recording artist and seasoned performer Lucy Tops (Kinky Boots, Funny Girl, The Romantix) enchants audiences with her electrifying presence in productions such as Another Day, You Should Be Dancing, Bar None (Fleur du Cap nomination for Best Actress in a Musical), Bon Soir and Woman On Top. She has performed in many large-scale productions such as Soul Classics’ Black Ties & Friends at the Baxter Theatre, the Fugard Theatre’s The Rocky Horror Show, Shakespeare In Love, Significant Other and many more.
Tshepo Ncokoane (Janice Honeyman’s Peter Pan Pantomine, Kinky Boots, We Will Rock You – The Musical World Tour) is a singer, actor, dancer and choreographer. His extensive list of credits include Showtime’s Priscilla Queen of The Desert The Musical which earned him Fleur de Cap, Broadway World and SAT Mag award nominations in the Male Featured Role categories. Other productions include Sarafina, Legally Blonde the Musical, various Janice Honeyman pantomines, Shrek, The Musical, The Colour Purple, The Musical and the roles of Lola Alternate and Angel in The Fugard Theatre’s production Kinky Boots.
In 2023 Tshepo was Associate Choreographer for Janice Honeyman’s Peter Pan Pantomine at Joburg Theatre.
With FINDING THE LIGHT – AN EVENING WITH MUSICAL THEATRE STARS, audiences can look forward to enjoying songs from shows such as “Phantom of the Opera”, “Les Miserables”, “West Side Story”, “Company” and many more, with the exquisite on-stage accompaniment by the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.
The evening will be staged by the UK’s Paul Robinson (Singing In The Rain – Olivier Nominated) with Musical Supervision by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder (West Side Story, King Kong) and Musical Direction by Dawid Boverhoff (Kinky Boots, Funny Girl, Sound of Music).
Completing the creative production team is David Habbin, (West Side Story, Les Misérables, Amici Forever, and co-founder of the Finding the Light Foundation), to bring audiences in Cape Town a wonderful evening out, amongst the stars.
Siya and Rachel Kolisi founded the Kolisi Foundation with a vision to use their influence to change the stories of inequality in South Africa, to see thriving communities. The Foundation works alongside others to make a difference, by “remembering the one, one by one” to impact the nation.
Finding the Light Foundation helps unite and mobilise South Africans and Africans in the UK and in South Africa in support of those addressing frontline challenges in South Africa.
The two organisations, in their own right, were both founded with the common desire of making an enduring difference in South Africa.
For further information visit https://kolisifoundation.org/ and https://ftl.org.uk/
Tickets, starting from R190 and can be booked at Webtickets
Evening performances are at 8pm, with matinees on Saturday at 15h00 and Sunday at 14h00.
*VIP experience packages are available and include welcome sparkling wine and prime seating.
No babies on laps, no under 5s.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Jonathan Roxmouth
Musical Theatre / International Solo Performer / Showbiz Pianist /
Youngest English Speaking Phantom in History /Exclusive Seabourn Guest Entertainer
There are few performers as versatile as Jonathan Roxmouth – He moves from musical theatre star to international solo performer to showbiz pianist with style and ease, captivating audiences across the globe with his dynamic stage presence.
As part of the world tour of Phantom of The Opera, Jonathan made history as youngest English-speaking Phantom yet and won the Philippines’ Broadway World Award for his performance.
Other international credits include Chicago, Evita, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a reprise of Phantom of the Opera and Grease.
In South Africa, he’s added West Side Story, Sweeney Todd, Sunset Boulevard, Cats, Beauty and The Beast and The Buddy Holly Story amongst others, to his extensive repertoire, making him a popular choice for producers and audiences.
Jonathan is as comfortable sitting at a piano as he is in front of a microphone and added to this his skills as a music arranger, has enjoyed countless sold out original shows and concerts that include Key Change, Great Balls of Fire, Stage by Stage, Back in Lights and more.
He’s a concert favourite, having starred in From The Footlights, The Musicals in Concert (2017 & 2018) and Phantasm.
His most recent success has been Swingle Bells at The Teatro at Montecasino, in December 2023, where over 12 000 audience members revelled in the Christmas spirit.
This multi-talented artist has notched up multiple Fleur Du Cap and Naledi Awards in South Africa over the years and has most recently added a coveted 2023 BroadwayWorld South Africa Award to that list for his original work; Key Change.
To date, Jonathan has released 11 studio albums that are now available for download and is in constant demand on local and international stages across the globe.
Lynelle Kenned
Lynelle Kenned, graduate of the UCT Opera School under the tutelage of Prof Virginia Davids, is a Multidisciplinary Performing Artist, TV Presenter, Corporate MC, Actress and Media Personality.
Her list of awards include a 2023 Fiësta for Best Classical Music presentation, 2022 Woordtrofee, the Kunste Onbeperk YOUNG VOICE 2019, a 2018 Naledi Award, a Fiësta Award in 2017, and a Fleur du Cap Award in 2016.
Performances include Maria in “West Side Story”, Maria in “The Sound of Music”, Mattie Allen in “Orpheus in Africa”, Musetta in “La Boheme”, Julie in “Showboat”, Cherubino in “Le nozze di Figaro”, and Grace in the world premiére of “Calling Me Home”.
Classical performances as soprano soloist include Shepherd on the Rock, The Messiah, Easter Oratorio, St Matthew Passion, Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen, Brahms’ Requiem, Faure Requiem, Les nuits d’été, Handel’s Gloria and the Gloria by Vivaldi.
Since 2012, she’s been a television presenter on “Pasella”, and subsequently hosting “Jý Geld”, “123 Fixit” and “Uit die Spens” on KykNET and VIA respectively.
Other memorable career highlights are performances for the FNB/RMB Starlight Classics, two KykNET TV Christmas specials, a ‘In die Kollig” TV recital for Johan Stemmet Productions, live broadcasts of Dancing with the Stars and the KykNET Fiëstas, performing with Welsh crossover superstar Katherine Jenkins, receiving master classes with Juilliard’s Brian Zeger, adjudicating the singing category for the national Huisgenoot Eisteddfod, and regular collaborations with the Cape Philharmonic and Cape Town Baroque Orchestra.
Lucy Tops
Lucy Tops has been dazzling audiences with her extraordinary versatility and vocal prowess ever since she graduated from The Waterfront Theatre School in 2007. Her remarkable talent has continued to shine brightly, leaving an indelible mark on every stage she graces.
Lucy joined forces with Followspot Productions where she co-wrote and starred in her one- woman show Absolucy, which successfully debuted at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival. She has since then continued to perform in shows at Kalk Bay Theatre such as: Big Girls, Face The Music, Another Day, You Should Be Dancing, Bar None(Fleur du Cap nomination for Best Actress in a Musical), Bon Soir, Woman On Top, Cat & Lucy and Peace and Love.
Lucy has performed in many large-scale productions such as Soul Classics’ Black Ties & Friends at the Baxter Theatre, the Fugard Theatre’s The Rocky Horror Show, Funny Girl, Shakespeare In Love, Significant Other, Kinky Boots and many more.
As a voice artist/actress, Lucy has had much success from jingles to film soundtracks – including Stomper’s “Wishing Well” on Netflix’s hit show “Dark”.
Lucy also performs alongside her husband as “The Romantix”, a sensational singing duo.
Tshepo Ncokoane
Tshepo Ncokoane is a singer, actor and dancer who trained in Musical Theatre at the Tshwane University of Technology.
Throughout the course of those years he starred in “Sarafina! In Black & White” directed by Josias Dos Moleele (Soweto Theatre); “Believe in the Magic”, “Legally Blonde The Musical” and “9 to 5 The Musical” with TUT (Breytenbach Theatre). He has also performed at corporate events such as the annual Mbokodo Awards working for and with the likes of Carol Bouwer and Tony Kgoroge (Tshwane 2055) and more recently headlining corporate performances for PRIMEDIA (2022) HOLLARD (2022) BARSA (2023) and ADCOCK INGRAM OTC. (HOPETOBER 2021.)
In 2015 he formed part of the ensemble and understudy cast of “Janice Honeyman’s Sleeping Beauty Pantomine” (Joburg Theatre) and again in 2016 with “Robin Hood & The Babes.” In that same year he also formed part of the ensemble and understudy cast of Kickstart’s “SHREK The Musical (Lyric Theatre)” and later in 2018 “Camelot” (Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.) In 2017 he played Miss Understanding in Showtime’s “Priscilla Queen of The Desert The Musical” SA (Artscape & Teatro) and Hong Kong Tour (HKAPA) which earned him Fleur de Cap, Broadway World and SAT Mag award nominations in the Male Featured Role categories. Other show credits include Bernard Jay’s the “Color Purple The Musical” (The Joburg Theatre) where he formed part of the ensemble and understudy cast in both seasons of the show in 2018. He finished off 2018 playing the role of Prince Charming in Janice Honeyman’s “Snow White & The Seven Doffs Pantomine” for which he was nominated for a Naledi Theatre Award in the Leading Male category.
He went on to complete an acclaimed run as Lola Alternate and Angel in The Fugard Theatre’s “Kinky Boots The Musical” 2019/20 where he won a Fleur du Cap Award in the Male Featured Role category, followed by being part of the ensemble and understudy cast in Showtime’s 2022 – 2023 “We Will Rock You The Musical – World Tour.” He has most recently finished serving in the capacity of Associate Choreographer as well as being in the ensemble and understudy cast on Janice Honeyman’s Peter Pan Pantomine.
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