Actor Zilungile Mbombo portraying student leader Kedibone Moloi, standing defiantly in a school uniform with a raised fist.
The Market Theatre has teamed up with the Baxter Theatre to co-produce a brand new play, RISE ’76: The Story of June 16th, that honours the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising - a milestone that coincides with the week in which The Market Theatre first opened its doors in 1976. It is written and directed by multi-award-winning contemporary playwright and director, Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni.
The collaboration between the two landmark theatres marks a significant cultural moment, highlighting their shared commitment to impactful storytelling. This beautifully crafted, moving and powerful work of historical fiction will sit in the Mannie Manim Theatre from June 5 to 28, with its 4-week run inclusive of two special commemorative performances on Youth Day and being a centrepiece of The Market Theatre’s 50th birthday weekend from June 17 – 19.
RISE ‘76 transports audiences to Molefe Secondary, a fictional school in Soweto. As the mid-year exams loom, student leaders Bafana Buthelezi (played by Alex Sono) and Kedibone Moloi (Zilungile Mbombo) find themselves in a heated confrontation with their principal, Mr Alfie Ndlovu (Botlhale Mahlangu), over the imposition of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction.
