TONIGHT’S SOLOISTS

Brought to you by Fitch & Leedes

Natalia Da Rocha

Natalia Da Rocha was born into a musical family. In primary school she joined her dad and brother in the band. She graduated from Stellenbosch University’s Drama Department in 1981. Her first musical was Fangs (1982) where she met Sam Marais. She left Cape Town in 1983 for her first stage play BacchusInnieBoland . This was also the year that Natalia acted and recorded the theme song BlyByMayfor the Jans Rautenbach movie BroerMatie. Natalia and Sam formed the well-known duo Coffee‘nCream. In 1987 and became the first South African people of colour to perform as leads at Sun City in ‘Movin’. Several musicals in Durban followed: Aint Misbehavin and MidnightBlues.She enjoyed a 2 year stint as celebrity presenter on KayaFM, a weekly tv magazine show JustForYou . In 1995 Rainbow Worx a community theatre project started in Bosmont. In 2001 she relocated back to Cape Town and Applauz Arts Initiative was born, training young performers from disadvantaged communities and giving them a platform to showcase their talent. She was inducted into the SA Legends Museum in 2019 .

Earl Gregory

Earl trained at Pretoria Technikon getting a National Diploma Musical Theatre in 2004. He has performed extensively both here in South Africa & overseas. These include KinkyBoots at the Fugard Theatre in 2019. Intothe Woods (Theatre on the Bay, 2019) Evita (South Africa and International tour 2017/18), PussinBoots (Lyric Theatre 2017), JosephandTheAmazingTechnicolorDreamcoat( South Africa and New Zealand tour 2016), CATS(Seoul Korean Tour 2014), HanselandGretel (Baxter Theatre 2013), TheLittleMermaid (Baxter Theatre 2012), TheQuietViolenceofDreams(UJ Con Cowan Theatre 2012), BeautifulCreatures(Teatro 2010), Dreamgirls(Teatro 2011), CATS(Artscape Theatre 2009), SnowWhite(Joburg Civic Theatre 2008), HighSchoolMusical(Asia Tour 2008), Hairspray (Lyric Theatre 2007), HAIR (Pieter Toerien Theatre 2007), Aint Misbehavin’ (Market Theatre 2006), Life@centrestage(Pieter Toerien Theatre 2005), JosephAndTheAmazing TechnicolorDreamcoat(Pieter Toerien Theatre 2004), AllTogetherNow! (Theatre on the Bay 2021)’ He has received a NalediTheatreAward , as well as a covetted FleurDuCapTheatreAward.

Lynelle Kenned

Lynelle Kenned, graduate of the UCT Opera School under the tutelage of Prof Virginia Davids, is a Multidisciplinary Performing Artist, TV Presenter, Corporate MC, Actress and Media Personality. Her list of awards include the KunsteOnbeperkYOUNGVOICE2019 , a 2018 NalediAward,a FiëstaAwardin 2017 and a FleurduCapAwardin 2016. Performances include Maria in “WestSideStory” , Maria in “TheSoundofMusic” , Mattie Allen in “OrpheusinAfrica”,Musetta in “LaBoheme” , Julie in “Showboat” , Cherubino in “LenozzediFigaro” , and Grace in the world premiére of “CallingMeHome” . Classical performances as soprano soloist include TheMessiah,EasterOratorio,StMatthewPassion, JauchzetGottinallenLanden,Brahms’Requiem,Handel’sGloriaand the GloriabyVivaldi.Since 2012, she’s been a television presenter on “Pasella” , and subsequently hosting “JýGeld”,“123Fixit”and “UitdieSpens”on KykNET and VIA respectively. Films include “AChristmasChorus”,“Wonderlus”,“Playboyz” and “TweeGradevanMoord” . A few memorable career highlights are the FNB/RMB Starlight Classics, live broadcasts of Dancing with the Stars and the KykNET Fiëstas, performing with Welsh crossover superstar Katherine Jenkins, and receiving master classes with Juilliard’s Brian Zeger.