Amber with a crew from Bangkok. Picture courtesy of Amber Mgushelwa
30 October 2013
Not every parent would be pleased to hear their child is determined to make a life in the theatre. But Amber Mgushelwa’s family has been supportive of her career choice. Her father reassured her all the way; her mother had some concerns.
“She would constantly ask if this is what I really wanted,” says Mgushelwa, “because of the long hours and coming home at night when everyone is asleep … I must say my mother never thought I would be where I am today.”
Five years in the theatre industry and at the age of 28, Mgushelwa is busy preparing for a tour to Shanghai with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, one of the biggest musical phenomenons of all time.
“I think most black people especially women don’t really know about theatre. I think we consider it to be for white people. Those that do know about it tend to only think of performers and don’t show much interest in what happens backstage.”
Mgushelwa is a props assistant. In her high school days she used to watch a lot of television and sometimes there would be clips about what goes on behind the scenes of her favourite soapies and movies. It intrigued and fascinated her.
She started training at Artscape as a theatre technician.
Vusi’umuzi Phakathi, an award-winning poet, says, “When Amber managed my stage for my Double Bill tour in Cape Town, she was my super hero … I never had to worry about anything as long as she was around.”
“If I was to teach any young black child about what I do,” says Mgushelwa, “I would ask them to make sure it’s what they really want, firstly. I’d advise them to learn as much as they can once they’re in the industry; the more you know, the more you grow. We work odd hours and work with different people so they should learn how to tolerate all of that. They will cry and be sad at times, but hey, it’s theater … You need to be strong.”
“I’ve been lucky enough not to have been discriminated against because of my skin colour or been looked down upon because I’m black. Thats what I love about theatre. You are accepted for who you are and the work you do.”
The Phantom of the Opera first opened in 2004 in South Africa at Artscape. It was on in Cape Town and Johannesburg again in 2011. According to the production’s website, Phantom of the Opera has been produced in 152 cities and 30 countries. The musical will be in Shanghai for the next three months.