Multi-award winning creative director, playwright and performer Napo Masheane is no stranger to the arts. Her resume is as colourful as her outfits and as bright as her smile. The celebrated Poet is now curating a local first with Herstory International Theatre Festival.

The Festival is Masheane’s brainchild with Village Gossip Productions to bring to life not only the vision but amplifying voices of womxn creatives. Womxn creatives across the world have always used their artistic voices to inspire and empower others to evolve, create change and inspire growth within the theatre landscape globally. HerStory International Theatre Festival is another way to further re-shape and re-mould womxn stories as interpreted by us, for us, with us in them. 

“I want my words to stop cowering when they should stand tall even when they make others uncomfortable. As black womxn storytellers and theatre-makers we should never apologise for claiming spaces, creating platforms, speaking out, thinking back or talking back against any form of injustice against us; our voices, our bodies, our gender, our sexuality and our very own being. HerStory, by all means, has to be re-birthed, re-lived, re-told, and re-imagined into HiStory”- Napo Masheane

The Herstory International Theatre Festival will be showcasing creatives from across the globe: Canada, the United Kingdom, the USA, South Africa, Brazil, Nigeria, Botswana, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Madagascar, Namibia, Sweden, and the Caribbean. 

The Festival is a celebration of the great power of womxn and it is by design to have it in August, Women’s Month. The 17 womxn artistry will be bringing together a series of 50 creative works- dialogues, drama, poetry, comedy, music, dance and masterclasses at the Soweto Theatre. The Soweto Theatre will also be celebrating 10 years making this a one of a kind occasion.