Stimela the Musical

Stimela the Musical is a troupe of 13 musicians from Soweto South Africa who are trying to take their songs and the tradition of gumboot dancing to a global audience. Similar to a story well known to New Zealanders with the recent showing or PoiE, Director and choreographer Thapelo Motlaung sold his house and vehicle to help fund and lead a troupe of 13 homegrown and largely untrained Soweto street musicians on their first ever overseas tour to Australia and New Zealand. Following their spectacular success at the Adelaide and Newcastle Fringe Festivals, Stimela the Musical headed for their branch tour of New Zealand and things became complicated and expensive. Inexperience with international travel, working visas and the legalities involved, saw them stranded in Australia with no bookings and therefore no income, and having to cancel 7 shows throughout the South Island losing critical income and have their limited funds further burdened with cancellations fees.

Arriving late, scarred and somewhat despondent into Nelson, they played 4 nights at the Theatre Royal, for most their first formal theatre experience. Their skill, the quality of their performance and their infectious enthusiasm quickly won the hearts and minds of all they came across. With the invaluable help of the Theatre Royal staff and a few enthusiastic Nelsonians’ embracing their cause, what followed saw them receive 4 standing ovations, performances at the Free House, flash mobs at the Nelson Airport and well attended workshops at Waimea Intermediate, The Boathouse Choir and with Sumba del Sol, as well as a number of performances around the streets of Nelson. The troupe were wholly embraced by the community of Nelson and Takaka and established themselves as a performance not to be missed.

They have just returned to Australia heartened and re-enthused with the Nelson spirit to repair and rebuild a hastily rearranged tour schedule of Australia, now focusing on the areas of Brisbane and Perth to reduce the huge costs of travel, with only 4 confirmed bookings in Queensland, they will take the heartening experience of Nelson to the streets of Australia in an attempt to replenish their coffers and restore their dream of touring the festivals of UK and Europe this northern summer.

So many Nelsonians expressed a wish and desire to help them on their way and a Give-a-little page was proposed as the ideal vessel. This is it. We can guarantee that every cent donated to this cause will be used in the funding and financing of Stimela the Musical tour.