Theatre news: The Waiting Game, set to music and dance exploring the need and want for human connection

Exciting news is the staging by Cape Town Theatre Company of The Waiting Game – a new original musical- at The Wave Theatre [Cape Town CBD] and at The Masque Theatre [Muizenberg].  The cast includes 17 performers and an original story set to music and dance. The Waiting Game poses “hard hitting questions we were all faced with after coming out of forced isolation and then having the want and need for human connection.”  Read on for more. Info as supplied:

The Waiting Game: A riveting new story set to music and dance exploring the need and want for human connection.

“Of all the hardships a person had to face, none was more punishing than the simple act of waiting.”  Khaled Hosseini, The Waiting Game.

About The Waiting Game

Cape Town Theatre Company returns with a brand new production set in the heart of Cape Town and the Muizenberg theatre community. The show is a riveting combination of heartfelt moments, action packed dance sequences and beautiful music all weaved together while taking the audience on a breath-taking journey of self-discovery, healing past traumas and simply finding the joy in everyday life. With a stellar cast of more than 17 performers and an original story set to music and dance, The Waiting Game asks those hard hitting questions we were all faced with after coming out of forced isolation and then having the want and need for human connection.

The story follows Skye, a sweet and over thinking actress, with big emotions, an over-abundance of energy and so much heart and Micha a frazzled, endearing, loyal and aspiring writer, who is in a slump after her book keeps getting rejected from publishing houses. Yearning for connection and waiting to find their way in the world, everything changes for good when the two of them meet and instantly become best friends, finding each other in the chaos of this new world.

However, everything is not sunshine and roses, as Leonard Sinclaire, father of Skye, runs a ruthless political campaign against Jacks Frost, the partner of Micha, to become a prominent senator in power. Skye and Micha are then thrown in the middle of it all and have to navigate the turmoil set forth by their families. A turn of events set them on a brand new path and it suddenly forces them to question everything they hold dear.

This sincere production is set to warm your heart, intrigue your mind and feed your soul as it explores the concept that we are all waiting for something. Perhaps a job offer to come in, for a doctor’s appointment, for good news, for bad news, to win the race or to find that lifelong connection – we are all waiting for something. The question is, how long are you willing to wait.

The Waiting Game is the must-see theatre experience of 2023 and is not to be missed.

About Cape Town Theatre Company and The Waiting Game project

Cape Town Theatre Company is one of Cape Town’s most prolific creators of theatre within the city, and they are thrilled to bring this brand new production to the Western Cape. The Waiting Game is its latest musical exploration in this renowned company’s catalogue of work, and it sees the company returning to the newly managed theatre now called The Wave Theatre, on 44 Long Street and then traveling all the way to Muizenberg’s much loved Masque Theatre. Following its magical production of The Secret Garden and their sold-out smash run of The Great Gatsby last year, this new production is set to leave a lasting impression. 

Director’s note – The Waiting Game -Regina Malan

I remember distinctly that we were all experiencing a sort of frantic energy when coming out of lock down. We wanted to suddenly do so many things, see so many things, be so many things, as if making up for lost time, but we ended up burning ourselves out and losing connection with people even more. I don’t know if it was because we were all forced to slow down or forced to be alone, even when sharing time with others, but it definitely changed the way we consumed art and how fast we suddenly wanted things to go back to “normal”. This and the feeling of waiting for things to change, made me think about how many times we’ve simply waited for things to happen and we were powerless to do anything or refused to take action even when we had the opportunity to do so. All in all, it constantly felt like a waiting game. The uncertainty, feeling out of control and just searching for that one person to actually care about you no matter what. I wanted to capture that and tell a story that we don’t really see too often. The importance of a friendship as the main and most important relationship in a story. That it does not always have to be a romantic relationship to have weight and importance. And that was that. I’ve found that these human stories are not hard to write when done with honesty and it has been such a joy seeing these characters come to life. I have my incredible cast of more than 17 performers to thank for that. They’ve gone on this journey with my team and I and it has just been utter joy seeing them grow as humans and artists. The use of monochromatic colours for the costumes per character (containing or using only one colour in different shades) was also something I’ve always wanted to use on stage. It is almost as if we can see each character’s energy shown through colour and thus literally show us their true colours. All that with the use of a more abstract set, intricate choreography and vibrant projections has created an experience for the senses all the while enveloping the audience in beautiful music which I hold dear to my heart. It is always a risk bringing a new story to the stage with an abstract vision, but as long as we made the audience feel something, then our job as a creative are done. Regina Malan, Director

“So many years my heart has waited. Who’d have thought friendship could be so underrated.” Skye Sinclaire, The Waiting Game.

PRODUCTION TEAM

Presented by – Cape Town Theatre Company

Director – Regina Malan

Musical director – Regina Malan

Production manager – Karin Botes

Choreographer – Wendy Henrique

Set designer – Regina Malan

Costume designer – Marna Wright      

Stage manager – Morag Tison                               

Assistant stage anager  – Melissa Marcus

Production secretary – Melissa Marcus

Rehearsal pianist – Chris Cameron Dow

Marketing – Justin Veldsman                                   

Graphic designer – Christoff van Wyk                                       

Dance captain – Anastatia Thorne                               

CTTC representative – Tasneem Karodia     

“I’m waiting, making rent and some friends. Waiting, living my life, enjoying the ride. Putting ambition a bit to the side. In a job I guess I should be hating. And I’m not, and I’m waiting. ” Micha, The Waiting Game

CAST

Skye Sinclaire – Caitlin Barnard

Micha – Emily Suttle         

Thommy Sinclaire – Jaun-Claude De Beer

Jacks Frost – Kate Howsley       

Leonard Sinclaire – Sean Dryden

Donna Sinclaire – Tanya Smith  

Victoria Sinclaire – Stephanie Bergsteeldt

Katherine – Caries Kinsley

Andrew – Jason Bailey     

ENSEMBLE

Kerry – Anastatia Thorne  

Lucca / Hannah – Caitlin Hutchison

Dina – Charmaine Engelbrecht    

Taylor – Dewan Brandt     

Zach/Phillipe / Alan – Dylan Majavie

Gina/Pats – Kim Mortimer

Richard/Danny – Luke Bollman   

Riley – Reeva Craig

Becky – Tazz-Lynn Wagner        

CREW

Stage manager – Morag Tison

Production secretary – Melissa Marcus

Assistant stage manager – Melissa Marcus

Marketing manager – Justin Veldsman

Graphic designer – Christoff van Wyk

Photographer – Martin Kluge

✳ Sponsored content. Featured image Emily Suttle as Micha and Kate Howsley as Jacks Frost in The Waiting Game, presented by Cape Town Theatre Company, 2023. Pics by Martin Kluge.