POETRY | Napo Masheane

was born in Soweto and grew up in Qwaqwa (Free State). She has a marketing management and speech
and drama diploma.
She is a writer, director, producer, poet and acclaimed performer on both international and national stages. Masheane is a founding member of Feela sista! spoken word collective as well as co-director of Colour of the diaspora, an international collective of black woman from the USA and South Africa. In addition, she is founder of Kalaneng Arts Track, a youth theatre organisation created to empower emerging artists. She is also the nominee of the Daimler Chrysler South African Poetry Award in 2005 and her work credits include, studying and working with the Market and Windybrow theatres, Grahamstown National Arts Festival, University of Johannesburg, Civic Theatre, SABC, FUBA School of Dramatic Arts, University of California, Jungel Theater in Germany, Soweto Youth Drama Society, Farnebo College in Sweden, The British Council (Crossing borders, an on-line poetry project and power in the voice literature project for learners who have a passion in writing for performance) and The Lion King in New York City.

Recently she performed at Maitisong Theatre in Botswana and HIFA (Harare International Festival of the Arts). Presently she is the managing director of her own production company Village Gossip Productions. She has just published her poetry and essays anthology Caves speak in metaphors. Masheane has performed and shared the stage with Don Mattera, Lebo Mashile, Kgafela Magogodi, Jessica Care Moore, Toni Blackman and LKJ Linton Kwesi Johnson.
Her biggest success for 2007 is her acclaimed, provocative and humorous one-woman show My bum is genetic deal with it