USHAKA’S SEARCH FOR THE STARS

Dancers, singers, bands, comedians, mime artists, jugglers, magicians ... it’s “uShaka’s Got Talent” time again!

With the fun and colourful summer holiday season just months away, uShaka is again auditioning the province’s hot talents so that they can show visitors and locals alike just what the Zulu Kingdom has to offer. As the venue aims to make a splash at Africa’s only marine theme park every year and believe in supporting KZN emerging artists, it hooked up with the Department of Arts and Culture in December 2007 to provide a platform for artists to perform during the peak holiday season.

“Over the past four years, more than 4,000 talented performers have auditioned and we have created jobs for over 800 of them,” says the publicity material. “Our 2011 auditions will see a diverse spread of performers strutting their stuff before a panel of celebrity judges headed by Wayne Scott, the “Simon Cowell” of uShaka.

“This year, this talent search is open to amateurs and professionals as well as individuals and group performers,” the pre-publicity states. “The organisers are on the lookout for both the conventional and unconventional, this competition is not limited to just singers and dancers but to jugglers, mime artists, clowns, acrobats ... you name it! The main requirement, however, is that entrants do have to have special talents – so, no chancers, please!”

Audition days are September 4, 11, 18 and 25 from 10h00 to 12 noon with registration at 09h00 at Arena 1 in Village Walk, uShaka Marine World. Bands can take to the stage every Friday evening between now and the end of September at the Upper Deck from 18h00. The judges will be looking for performers in a host of different categories – from reggae to rock, from pop to alternate rock and even Afro jazz.

Selected performers will be employed during the festive season and will be part of the entertainment team under the directorship of Wayne Scott.

For more information about the auditions, contact Theresa Harker or Nombuso Buthelezi on 031 328 8008/ 8103.