Art is the cardinal element to life, Selaelo Maredi told me in my recent visit to his home in Alexandra.

Today I feature on this blog arguably one of the pioneers of modernist Black South African theatre makers. Selaelo Maredi is synonymous to local and international theatre making. Maredi the actor, director, playwright, teacher movie star and mentor having been one of the founding members of Experimental Theater Workshop 71 founded in 1971 which propelled him for reaching greater heights in the global theatre industry. 

I met him for the first time few years ago at the Olive Tree Theatre in Alexandra township during the opening reception of Roelf Matlala's play titled Birthday . This was after many years of cajolement by Matlala to meet this great man because Matlala he thought we will relate, which we did as Maredi affectionately calls me Mahlo A Tau - Lion's Mane. However, I have encountered his work long before that through my friends Roelf Matlala and Moses Rasekele D who both at some point produced and directed Maredi's work. Rasekele produced and directed Maredi's Beautiful Things which is based on a middle-aged South African man, Muzi, and a younger woman, Noni, fall in love. They come from very different backgrounds, both have been tragically widowed and both have issues of guilt and commitment to work through. Rasekele toured this play around the SADC region in the past few years. On the other hand, Matlala who is Maredi's protégé organised Selaelo Maredi Legacy Project in 2017 with staging of three of his plays BLACKAGE, HELL WE CAN and THE CORE from his own pocket in honor of Maredi's 52nd anniversary in the arts at the Polokwane Auditorium without any help from the provincial government, despite countless attempts of invitation for participation. 

With Selaelo Maredi during my recent visit to his house in Alexandra Township, 2020

Theatre was an early passion for Maredi. When he finished school he began writing

short plays: A LITTLE EDUCATION IS DANGEROUS and IT’S MY BLACKNESS THEY HATE NOT ME (which won awards from the South African Youth Club National Theatre) were his first attempts. He directed them for an enthusiastic youth club at Thabisong Alexandra Community Centre in the late 1960s. His next efforts in writing and directing were two plays for an adult audience: PROSECUTION and MBONI. He acted in Gibson Kente’s SIKALO and Ben Nomoyi’s: BORN TO LOOSE.

The Experiment Theatre Workshop 71 was established by four actors Fana Kekana, Dan Selaelo Maredi, Themba Ntinga and Seth Sibanda as a platform that focuses on fundamental for acting, play-writing and directing. Their inaugural stage production was Crossroads which was performed at Outer Space Theatre in Cape Town in 1972. Six years later Maredi would leave for the United States of America in 1977 few years after the June 16. No wonder he left to perform their production called Survival alongside with other actors in Off Broadway. This workshopped Black Consciousness stage piece was first commissioned by Outer Space Theatre in Cape Town and was performed in May 1976. It was directed and facilitated by Mshengu. 

The anti-apartheid play Survival was written by four young actors who had recently left Soweto. The play, set in a South African prison, portrays what is means to grow up black under the oppressive apartheid system. Standing on the left is South Africa playwright, director, and actor Selaelo Maredi.

For many years, Maredi toured the United States especially college campuses, presenting anti-apartheid plays. During his 14 years of exile in the United States, Maredi managed to etch his name in the global theatre landscape. He distinguished himself among the crop with awards and recognitions such as The Audelco Black Theatre Award with the cast of Survival, The Villager Award for excellence with his own production of Homeland which he Co-Authored with an American playwright, Steve Freedman, The Arts Achievement Award from  the New York City, Mayor Jenkins with Woodie King Jr s production of Survival, Citation from Massachusetts House of Representatives in recognition of Outstanding bravery and dedication to human rights, The Citation from Massachusetts State Senate for Acting Ability, Sesi Puede Award for best Community Theatre, Cuba 1978 X1 Festival Mundial de la Juventud v los Estudiantes for Best Production Award, recognition in San Francisco Chronicle as Best Musical Director for Original Music for his play S’Kotiphola. In 1981 Maredi was featured in a film Death of A Prophet by Woodie King Jr. starring Morgan Freeman as Malcolm X. 

Maredi was awarded a fellowship by The National Endowment for the Arts as resident writer and director for the Julian Theatre in San Francisco. He was a member of the Frank Silver Writers Workshop in New York City, and the Black Writers Group in Portland Oregon and in Chicago. Maredi also directed Vernelle  Edwards ‘s musical Amandla ka Mandela at New Fedreal Theatre in New York City. He directed Black Arts Productions at San Francisco State University, and taught an acting class at the San Francisco School of Dramatic Arts, Conducted Acting Workshops at the Riverside Studios in London. 

My intention is not to write up a long article on Selaelo Maredi but it's also difficult not to, injustice is also to try put in words a man's contribution of over five decades of service in the arts just over a single article. As Selaelo Maredi ages, approaching his 80s I realized what in the black community we don't dump our elders in some old age centers where we let them to become leftovers of the vanished times but we allow them to still live within our very spaces for their wisdom is our compass for humanity. 

More about Selaelo Maredi provided by Roelf Matlala via email 

He lectured in Drama at the San Francisco School of Dramatic Arts and conducted theatre workshops at the Riverside Studios in London. Maredi taught Black Arts Productions at the San Francisco State University and he directed plays for the Black Performing Arts at Stanford University. He performed Poppie Nongena at The Edinburgh Festival in Scotland and London’s West End. He also tour the following countries with his own plays in, Denmark, Sweden, Holland, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway, Mexico, Canada and Havana Cuba at the world youth festival.

Maredi also performed in Athol Fugard’s play MASTER HAROLD AND THE BOYS at the Southern Rep Theatre in New Orleans playing lead role of “Sam”. He directed Varnelle Edwars” AMANDLA KA MANDELA at the New Federal Theatre in New York, also recorded with Harry Belafonte, and the freedom singers with Abdulah Ebrahim, which produced the hit record “ Liberation”.

AWARDS HE ACHIEVED

1. The Arts Achievement Award from the New York City, Mayor Jenkins with Woody King Jr’s production of Survival

2. Citation Massachusetts State Senate for Acting Ability while Dramatizing life in South Africa

3. Citation from Massachusetts House of Representative in recognition of outstanding bravery and dedication to human rights

4. Distinguished community service and outstanding contributions in the field of the performing Arts, Ethnic Cultural Centre, University of Washington.

5. Audelco Awards for outstanding Ensamble work in Survival, Woodie king jr’s production

6. Recognition by the San Fransisco Chronicle for best musical score of S’kotiphola and Sinning in Sun City

7. Awarded fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts as Resident  Director for the Julian Theatre, San Fransisco

8. Sesi Puede Award for best community development Theatre, interstate Firehouse theatre, Portland Oregon

9. Best production award of survival in Havana Cuba

OTHER SERVICES IN THE ARTS

• Members of the Frank Silvera writers workshop, New York City

• Member of Black writers group in Portland and in Chicago.

 

Other sources 

https://esat.sun.ac.za/index.php/Main_Page

http://www.abouttheartists.com/venues/7794-the-julian-theatre-san-francisco-ca