Produced by Impact Community Theatre

Conceived and Directed by Rose Cowpar

Vocal Direction - Thuba Myeki

Choreography - Abi Ranwell

Original Lighting by Danyke de Beer

CAST

Mieka Swanepoel

Odwa Tungela

Payton van Wyk

James Fullbrook

Scoutt Mey-de Lange

Jayden Kleinhans

Zandi van Zyl

Alynah MacKay

Impact Community Theatre (The PEG&S Society) is the Bay's oldest and most active community theatre company, a vibrant hub of creativity and community engagement serving all areas of Nelson Mandela Bay. Our vision is “to promote engagement in the magic of innovative, high quality, theatre experiences for our diverse community as Nelson Mandela Bay’s premier theatrical society” and our passionate group of volunteers make that magic happen alongside a power team of corporate sponsors and supporters.

At Impact we offer a safe and nurturing environment for all ages, but especially young people, to explore their talents, build confidence and make lifelong friendships. Through our diverse range of programmes and initiatives, we create opportunities to develop artistic and technical skills while we also reinforce invaluable life skills such as teamwork, discipline, and self-management. Our Impact family welcomes people of all ages and backgrounds to come together and celebrate the performing arts. 

These are our Rising Stars!

Mieka Swanepoel    16 yrs
When I'm on stage I feel Euphoric!
Mieka burst onto the Savoy stage in 2014 when she was just 6 years old, singing and tapping her heart out in Page 2 Stage. Over the years this passionate performer has become a popular fixture in PEG&S and Impact shows showcasing not just her big voice but also dancing and acting up a storm. She is the current Youth Ambassador for Impact Community Theatre and proudly says “my life revolves around theatre!”.

Mieka is homeschooled and studies voice with Hannah Barth. Not content with just using her voice, she also plays trumpet, guitar, ukelele and is currently learning the piano. Learning is an important part of life at the theatre for Mieka, who has spent the last 12 months training in and tackling roles such as Stage Management, Backstage Crew and Front of House. 
Credits: Page 2 Stage (2015), Music! Movies! Magic! (2015, 2016, 2025), Ticket to Broadway (2016), Broadway and Beyond (2018), The Sound of Music – Brigitta (2019), Hairspray – U/S and performed as Tracy Turnblad (2023)

Odwa Tungela    16 yrs 
When I'm on stage I feel rejuvenated, I feel a sense of connection!!
Odwa is a self-professed theatre kid, the first in his family, and made quite an entrance to Impact at the Savoy Drama Club in November 2024. His big personality and even bigger voice make him a dynamic performer of any kind of music from his favourites, Opera and Musical Theatre, to Disney classics in Movies! Music! Magic! 

A ball of positive energy, Odwa attends Alexander Road High School where he also enjoys history research and can whip up a great mac and cheese in his spare time. He says “I love being on stage and performing because I believe that form of art brings people together”.
Credits: Alexander Road High School’s Cabaret Fantasia - The Genie (2024), Houseplays, Music! Movies! Magic! (2025)

Payton Lazlo van Wyk    16 yrs
When I’m on stage I feel like I am in my element and that I am exactly where I am meant to be.

This unassuming young performer comes brilliantly alive on stage and has consistently wowed audiences with her haunting voice and incredibly mature composure. A stellar debut in Music! Movies! Magic! last year saw Payton awarded the Rising-Star Award for Best Young Performer in March 2024 and she has grown in confidence and skill at every step over the last year.

Payton has been singing and acting since primary school in the Herbert Hurd Primary School Choir and Faith Jannaway’s Drama Club. She is now a very busy learner at Victoria Park High School as a member of several bands, the mass and chamber choir as well as the Eastern Cape Youth Choir. 

Credits: Music! Movies! Magic! (2024, 2025), Making an Impact Concert & Awards (2024), Sing Out Loud Festival – Rising Stars (2024), Blast from the Past (2024)

James Fullbrook    14 yrs
When I'm on stage, I feel like I'm right at home.
James comes from a longstanding theatre and musical family yet he holds his own as a consummate young singer and actor who led the cast of Goldilocks at just 13 years of age. He is an incredibly disciplined and thoughtful performer, never afraid to ask questions. James was awarded the Morgan Trophy for Best Debut Performance after his outstanding debut in Matilda the Musical.

While attending Pearson High School, where he is in grade 8, James enjoys sports and plays for the first cricket team.  He is a young man of many musical talents who also plays piano. 

Credits: Matilda the Musical - U/S and performed as Bruce (2022), Music! Movies! Magic! (2023), Beauty and the Beast (2023 – St Dominic’s Priory), Goldilocks and the Three Bears – Silly Billy (2023 – PEMADS), Cinderella and the Ice Queen’s Enchantment (2024 – PEMADS)

Scoutt Mey-de Lange    13 yrs
When I'm on stage I always give 100% no matter what.
Scoutt is an extraordinary young performer with a string of professional and community theatre credits to her name. Not satisfied with being just a triple threat, with training from the likes of Robin Williams in Drama and Andrea Morris for Vocals as well as Ballet, Modern, Tap and acrobatics at the hands of Dance Dynamics and Totally Tap, she’s a definite sextuple threat!

Scoutt is homeschooled and excels academically. Her drive and passion for performing have propelled her into featured and soloist roles in many different shows. This entrepreneurial dynamo also works with several of her friends to present children’s theatre at festivals and Corporate events.  Scoutt is always the trendsetter thanks to her love of fashion and she enjoys baking in her, very limited, spare time.

Credits: The Sound of Music – Gretl (2019) Les Miserables – Cosette (2020 – Pearson High School), Matilda the Musical – Lavender (2022), Music! Movies! Magic! (2021, 2023, 2024, 2025), Dream (2023), Hairspray (2023), Goldilocks and the Three Bears – Baby Bear (2023 – PEMADS), Wild and Wicked West End (2024 PEMADS), Jingle all the Way (2024 – Robin Williams & Co)

Jayden Kleinhans         13 yrs 
When I’m on stage I feel joy because I love entertaining others.

Sometimes young people just arrive at auditions out of the blue and win over everyone with their winning smile, beautiful nature and fun performance. That was Jayden in 2023 as he clinched a spot in the MMM24 Cast. He proved himself to be a hard worker who is constantly looking to learn and grow. 

Jayden is currently in grade 7 at Lorraine Primary School where he plays drums in the school band

Credits: Freckle Faced Strawberry (Lorraine Primary School), Music! Movies! Magic! (2024, 2025)

Zandi van Zyl      12 yrs
When I’m on stage I feel grateful to do something I enjoy so much.
Zandi’s family knew early on that she had inherited her Mom’s talent for singing and she has been in the school choir since grade 2. It was performing in Music! Movies! Magic! in 2024, after a gentle push by her drama teacher Annaline Stiglingh, that sparked her love for musical theatre. She now takes every opportunity to audition and be a part of the vibrant theatre community.

Zandi is a grade 6 Student at St George’s Prep School and participates in many different activities including all types of sport.  She studies singing and is still in the choir as well as doing exams through the Trinity College of London.

Credits: Music! Movies! Magic! (2024, 2025), Sing Out Loud Festival (2024)

Alynah MacKay      11 years
When I am on stage I have a sense of complete freedom to express myself.
Alynah burst onto the Savoy stage after winning the role of sassy Little Inez in Hairspray in 2023. Her confident, powerhouse performance made it easy to forget she was just 9 years old and won her the Rising-Star Award for Best Young Performer in March 2024. This exciting young singer has her Dad to thank for an amazing voice and some great coaching and tips but her own work ethic will take her to the top. 

Alynah was a member of the Eastern Cape Children’s Choir from 2021 to 2023. In 2024 she started playing the clarinet and won a gold certificate and a trophy for most promising wind instrument player at her school. All this while she was dancing with Carl-Lee Moodley at Feet on Fire and winning Gold and Silver Medals at both the Friendly City and Nelson Mandela Bay Dance Festivals for her solo modern dance and gold for modern group dance.

Credits: Making an Impact (2023) Hairspray – Little Inez (2023), Music! Movies! Magic! (2024, 2025), Sing Out Loud Festival (2024)