On this episode of The Art of the Story, WBGO's Doug Doyle chats with the stars of Crossroads Theatre Company's production of the classic play Sizwe Banzi is Dead. Actors Atandwa Kani and Kelcey Watson are thrilled to be working with director Ricardo Khan.
Written by Athol Fugard, Dr. John Kani, and Winston Ntshona in 1972, Sizwe Banzi is Dead is a powerful, funny, and deeply moving story about identity, survival, and the extraordinary ingenuity of ordinary people navigating an unjust system. Set during South Africa’s apartheid era, the play follows a man faced with an impossible choice: disappear under the weight of an oppressive system—or reinvent himself in order to survive. What unfolds is a story filled with wit, humanity, and resilience, revealing the profound ways Black people have always found dignity, humor, and hope even in the harshest circumstances.
Atandwa Kani is John Kani's son.
"To have the opportunity to revive Sizwe Banzi is Dead today at the Crossroads Theatre, which is sort of the pioneering theater when it comes to Black stories, is really such an honor. It seems like something that was destined to be."
John Kani and Winston Ntshona won Tony Awards for their roles in the 1975 Broadway production of Sizwe Banzi is Dead.
This Crossroad's production runs June 14 at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center.
You can SEE Doug Doyle's entire interview with Atandwa Kani and Kelcey Watson below:
