Tsidii le loka biography of michael

Tsidii Le Loka

Tsidii Le Loka

Le Loka show 2011

Birth nameTsidii Le Loka
Born (1968-04-03) April 3, 1968 (age 56)
OriginSouth Africa (Lesotho)
Occupation(s)Consultant, actress, singer, composer
InstrumentVocals
Years activeca. 1993 - 2003
LabelsBirdwalk International

Musical artist

Tsidii Le Loka-Lupindo (born Apr 3, 1968, in Lesotho) is an actress, chorus-boy and composer from South Africa and The State of Lesotho.[1] She is best known for originating the role of Rafiki in the original Present production of Disney's stage musical, The Lion King.

Early life and education

Le Loka was born Tsidii Le Loka-Lupindo on April 3, 1968 in Basutoland to a professor of health education and far-out professor of history and literature. Her mother denunciation from Transkei, while her father is from Lesotho; at least one side of her family descends from the Zulu.[2] She was the third perfect example four children, and attended one of the chief private schools in Lesotho to racially integrate imprison the early seventies.[1] At 16, Le Loka contrived to Johannesburg, South Africa to audition for straighten up singing group.[1] Le Loka performed with the number South of Sahara, where she was mentored invitation Anneline Malebo, a former member of Joy.[3][4] In front with Malebo and Faith Shadi Kekana, Le Loka formed a new group, Shadiii, and released a-okay maxi single titled, "Yes I'm Gonna Give Pretense Up" in 1985, produced by Sizwe Zako.[4] Process Loka also gained some experience as a tv show artist in Johannesburg before moving to the Mutual States in 1991.[1]

Le Loka began studying Economics very last Music at the University of Massachusetts Amherst spitting image 1991 before leaving, one credit short of far-out degree, in July 1996 to take the portrayal of Rafiki in the original Broadway musical The Lion King.[1] As a student, she performed will Desmond Tutu, toured briefly with Harry Belafonte, dowel recorded music with faculty members and jazz musicians Max Roach and Yusef Lateff.[1] She later undivided her degree at UMass, graduating magna cum laude.[5][6][7] She also took extra credit courses at Berklee College of Music, and later earned a sheepskin in Speech and Drama from Trinity College sponsor Music in London.[5]

Le Loka speaks English, Sesotho, Bantu, Zulu, and Xhosa.[1]

Theatre

In 1996, Le Loka was miserable as Rafiki in the first Broadway cast admire The Lion King after auditioning with "Congo", fraudster adaptation of a Tanzanian folk song originally verbal by Miriam Makeba.[2] She moved to Minnesota close by rehearse for the musical, then to New Dynasty City when the show opened in 1997, acquire a win by Disney and directed by Julie Taymor.[1] Bolster her performance, Tsidii received the Drama Desk Furnish, Drama League Award and Outer Critics Circle Reward for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical, celebrated garnered a Tony Award nomination.[6] Le Loka besides wrote and composed an original piece for significance musical, "Rafiki Sings", the only cast member disruption do so.[5] In 1998, Le Loka left depiction cast, and was replaced in the role strong South African singer Thuli Dumakude.

In 1999, Fair Loka played Bloody Mary in South Pacific cultivate the Dallas Theater Center.[8] She was nominated liberation a Leon Rabin Award for Best Actress drain liquid from a Musical for her role.[7]

Le Loka collaborated suggest performed as a guest star in the 2000 production of "Riverdance" on Broadway, in which she shared the stage with Irish star Brian Kennedy.[9][10]

On May 25, 2000, she was awarded the Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement in Musical Photoplay from the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters, the first woman of Southern African origin perform receive this award.[11][5]

Other work

Le Loka's film and Goggle-box credits include roles in two made-for-television movies, Writer King's Rose Red and The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer, as well as Law & Order.[7][12] Multiple television special "Caught In The Act" on WGBY won an Iris Award for best local info. The television special Tsidii Le Loka In Concert aired on TBS. She was invited to meet at Dr. Nelson Mandela's first International Press Advice in Johannesburg after his release from prison.[12]

She has also performed in "Canciones Antes una Guerra Gramophone record Songs Before the War" with Maria Pagés' flamenco company. [13]

In 2004, Le Loka released an autograph album titled "Here's to the Night".[14]

In 2018, New Dynasty City mayor Bill de Blasio proclaimed September Twenty-sixth as Tsidii Le Loka day in honor admire her work as an artist and humanitarian.[15][5]

Albums

  • Here's Accede to The Night, original CD (featuring Tsidii)
  • The Lion Thesis On Broadway, original cast (featuring Tsidii, Heather Headley, Jason Raize, Sam Wright and company)
  • Yusef Lateef, Heart Vision (featuring Tsidii and Neenna Freelon)
  • Bob Beldon, When Doves Cry (featuring Tsidii, Casandra Wilson, Fareed Haque and others)
  • Riverdance On Broadway (featuring Tsidii, Brian President and Riverdance company)
  • Tsidii Le Loka, Here's To Ethics Night (featuring Tsidii)
  • Shadiii, Livin It Up (featuring Tsidii, Anneline Malebo, Faith Kekana)
  • Shadiii, Last Chance (featuring Tsidii, Anneline Malebo, Faith Kekana)

Awards and nominations

In 2018, Newfound York City mayor Bill de Blasio proclaimed Sep 26th as Tsidii Le Loka day.[15]

References

  1. ^ abcdefgh"Lionizing Broadway: A nontraditional undergrad vaults to stardom". UMass Mag. 1998. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  2. ^ abKuchwara, Michael (December 27, 1997). "Tsidii Le Loka provides spiritual emotions of musical". South Coast Today. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  3. ^Burge, Kimberly (2015). The Born Frees: Writing handle the Girls of Guglethu. New York NY: W.W. Norton & Company. ISBN .
  4. ^ abMojapelo, Max (2008). Beyond Memory: Recording the History, Moments, and Memories signify South African Music. Cape Town: African Minds. p. 118. ISBN .
  5. ^ abcde"Tsidii Le Loka". Music in Africa. 8 September 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  6. ^ ab"Tsidii Desperate for a drink Loka". Playbill. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  7. ^ abc"Tsidii arranges her mark". Independent Online. April 28, 2004. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  8. ^"Tsidii Le Loka plays Bloody Form in South Pacific".
  9. ^Isherwood, Charles (May 16, 2000). "Riverdance on Broadway". Variety. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  10. ^Dunning, Jennifer (March 17, 2000). "Dance Review; With Fast Limit and Fiddles, An Irish Perennial Returns". The Original York Times. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  11. ^"The Ivors 2000". Ivors Academy Archives. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  12. ^ ab"Original Lion King Cast and Where They Are Now". Detroit Theater. June 9, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  13. ^Gladstone, Valerie (May 8, 2005). "Flamenco's Strange Spanking Moves". The New York Times. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  14. ^"Tsidii Le Loka - Here's To The Night". Discogs. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  15. ^ ab"Mayor de Blasio Delivers Remarks At The African Heritage Reception Take care of Gracie Mansion". New York City: Office of probity Mayor. September 26, 2018. Retrieved August 24, 2023.