Tefo Omphile Paya spent his early life in the mining town of Orapa, where he was raised by his mother and grandparents. A big fan of Michael Jackson, he was known to be quite the performer, and when he moved to Gaborone, the performer in him really came out! In primary school, he participated in traditional dance, lip sync competitions and choir. He attended Maru-A-Pula Secondary, where he was introduced to theatre and Maitisong. He studied drama as a subject for IGCSE and received distinction. He was recognized as Best New Director and performed in many plays including: Sophiatown, Woza Albert, and Sephiri Se Dule (which went to Grahamstown for the festival) all directed by Warren Nebe. After his Form 5, Tefo was awarded a scholarship to study one year AS Levels at Aiglon College in Switzerland, where he studied drama and ran a Hip-hop dance club. He received his honours equivalent degree, Bachelor of Dramatic Arts from University of the Witwatersrand in 2009. While at university, he performed in many shows, most notably, as The Young man in The Hill by Zakes Mda directed by James Ncgobo; as Mercutio in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet directed by Warona Seane; as Guildenstern in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard directed by Greg Homann; as Dan in Closer by Patrick Marber directed by Warren Nebe; and as Thabo Mbeki in Mbeki and Other Nitemares written and directed by Tsepo Wa Mamatu. In his free time, he worked with a youth group in Soweto that he accompanied to the Grahamstown festivals. Tefo is currently completing his Masters in Performance as well as his professional acting career in Johannesburg; he is signed under LEADS Artists Agency. His debut on television was on Morwalela which aired on BTV.

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WOZA ZIMBO

As Zimbabweans wait for a solution to their problems, news spread that the Savior, ‘uMsindisi’ from a place called heaven is coming. Everyone gets excited as they begin to ponder what they would ask of him if he came to them. Zimbo, who has been through thick and thin finds himself face to face with the Savior in the end and implores him to do him the favor of raising his country’s departed liberation war heroes. The Savior has other plans…

Directors:

Bhekilizwe Bernard Ndlovu is a Wits University Masters graduate who got graduated with a distinction in his research project. His research focuses on human rights and diversity in post colonial Zimbabwe. Bheki is a renowned arts and human resources management personality in Zimbabwe having featured in a number of television dramas as an actor and a writer. He is particularly known for the role he played in a soap opera running by the title of Amakorokoza of Riverland. He also penned a column styled At the Workplace with Bhekilizwe B. Ndlovu where he wrote about workplace labour, management and social issues. Bheki has written and directed The Trial of the Senior Citizen and Zimafia. He is currently the Drama for Life Zimbabwe Project Director and runs human resources training programmes using theatre games and exercises for organizations.

And:

Warren Nebe is the Director of Drama for Life, Africa. He was the Head of Dramatic Art from 2007 -2010, Wits School of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand. Warren is a Theatre Practitioner, Senior Lecturer, a HPCSA and NADT registered Drama Therapist and a Fulbright Alumni.

Actors
Cornet Mamabolo

A South African actor with a rare love for Zimbabwe. He has written and directed his own play called Fear of Stigma. Cornet has been described by one of the directors of Woza Zimbo as ‘obviously an integral part of the future of South African theatre and perhaps Zimbabwean too.’ He believes that ‘the journey begins here…’

Thembile Tshuma

A Zimbabwean actor and choreographer who has been described by one of the directors of Woza Zimbo as ‘highly creative, energetic and generous on stage’ Thembile crafted the movements of a popular world cup bus drama called Zimafia.

Costume and Design

Mammatli Thakauli

Mammatli is a fourth year design student who has worked with directors like Vanessa Cook in Statements of Arrest under the Morality Act, Nobulali in Othello, and Bhekilizwe Bernard Ndlovu in The Trial of the Senior Citizen