Mr Duiker Sang
The Blues
13 September – 4 October 2026
Book Your Tickets
The Market Theatre |
Johannesburg
Mr Duiker Sang
The Blues
13 September – 4 October 2026
Book Your Tickets
The Market Theatre |
Johannesburg
The journey from page to stage is about to become a reality
Mr Duiker Sang the Blues, the award-winning short story by inaugural DALRO Can Themba Merit Award winner Dyondzo Kwinika, has been adapted for the stage and is coming to The Market Theatre in Johannesburg. Performances begin 13 September 2026, running through to 4 October 2026.
This is your opportunity to experience the story that launched the first CTMA cycle – now brought to life in a full theatrical production.
13 September – 4 October 2026
Mannie Manim, The Market Theatre, Johannesburg
Tickets: R110 – R220
Don’t just read the story.Experience it on stage.
Performances include weekday and weekend shows, with selected Wednesday performances offered as Half-Price Wednesdays.
STORY TO STAGE
A Story of Music, Family and the Past
Through the fictional life of Themba, an exceptional Soweto- born jazz pianist, Mr Duiker Sang the Blues explores how unresolved family histories can shape lives across generations. The production brings the story’s themes of artistic brilliance, family relationships and personal struggle into a live theatrical experience.
The production features a cast including Desmond Dube, Nomathamsanqa Ngoma, Tankisa Mamabolo and William Harding.
From the CTMA to the Stage
The production represents a significant milestone in the first DALRO Can Themba Merit Award cycle.
What began as a competition submission has become a published story and now a full stage production. Dyondzo’s journey demonstrates the broader vision of the CTMA: to create opportunities for emerging writers and support their development beyond the competition itself.
Mr. Duiker Sang the Blues was included in an anthology featuring the Top Ten finalists of the inaugural CTMA
When Water Wants To is a collection of stories edited by Neil Coppen and published by Wits University Press. The stories range from the deeply personal to the wildly allegorical, playing with genre conventions and inhabiting a multitude of perspectives and unruly voices. Confirming the preeminence of the short story, and its oral antecedents in our culture, the stories delve into the national psyche in the conversations they have, the connections and parallels they make and the themes, concerns and water-soaked imagery they share.
Place your order now:
https://witspress.co.za/page/detail/When-Water-Wants-To/?k=9781776149797
Meet the Top 10 Finalists
The Top 10 Finalists stories stood out for their originality, strong voices, and compelling storytelling, representing a diverse range of themes and perspectives.
The Dramatic, Artistic and Literary Rights Organisation, together with Wits University Press and The Market Theatre in partnership with the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts are proud to present the DALRO Can Themba Merit Award’s
Runner up
Lerato Mahlangu
Author of Zombie
Winning Author
Dyondzo Kwinika
Author of Mr. Duiker Sang The Blues
More about the DALRO Can Themba Merit Award
The DALRO Can Themba Merit Award will run on a two-year developmental cycle. 2025 will focus on the literary component, mentorship, story refinement, and publication, and 2026 will focus on the dramatic adaptation of the award-winning short story into a stage play. By creating cross-disciplinary creativity and supporting emerging talent, the DALRO Can Themba Merit Award ensures that South African storytelling thrives, on the page, on stage and beyond, reflecting Can Themba’s journey.
The DALRO Can Themba Merit Award is more than just a callout for short stories, it is a career accelerator for emerging South African writers. This initiative offers strategic support, mentorship and publishing opportunities for a shortlist by ten outstanding authors, giving them the recognition and tools they need to thrive in the literary sector.
Honouring Can Themba’s Legacy
This prestigious competition aims to celebrate the legacy of one of South Africa’s literary giants, Can Themba, while at the same time creating a platform for emerging short story authors. Can Themba’s writing remains a powerful force in South African literature, known for its bold storytelling and keen social commentary. The DALRO Can Themba Merit Award seeks to uphold his legacy by bridging literature and the dramatic arts, offering an innovative extension of storytelling into theatre.
A legacy of storytelling excellence
Can Themba, a graduate of Fort Hare University, made his mark in the literary world by winning a short story competition with his iconic piece, ‘Mob Passion’, published in the then-renowned Drum magazine. Reflecting on his achievement, Themba once said,
“I feel inspired to go on writing and writing, until one day, perhaps, I’ll be a really famous author. “
Place your order now:
https://witspress.co.za/page/detail/When-Water-Wants-To/?k=9781776149797
