21 Augustus | August 2025
Hier is ons suksesvolle kandidate wat vir die 2025–26-seisoen van die NATi Jong Sterre-program gekeur is.
Here are our successful candidates selected for the 2025–26 season of the NATi Rising Stars programme.
Chloè van Rooyen
Chloè van Rooyen is ’n dinamiese en talentvolle teaterpraktisyn en -kunstenaar met ’n voorliefde vir toneelspel. Sy het ’n graad in Drama en Teaterstudies aan Stellenbosch Universiteit behaal. Haar opleiding het stemwerk, spraak en beweging ingesluit en op toneelspel gefokus. Tydens haar studiejare het sy aan verskeie departementele produksies deelgeneem en haar vaardighede in die verskillende fasette van teaterwerk geslyp. In haar finale jaar het Chloè haar voorliefde vir stemwerk ontdek, en só het haar suksesvolle loopbaan in radiowese begin. Terwyl sy haar studies voltooi het, het sy oorklanking van telenovelles gedoen. Sy het deel geword van ’n gerespekteerde radiodramageselskap en is nou ’n dinamiese radioaanbieder en -akteur by RSG. In 2024 het sy ’n Bright Star-toekenning in die Telkom Radiotoekennings gewen. Sy het haar veelsydigheid getoon in gewilde telenovelles soos Arendsvlei en Skemergrond, en haar liefde vir die teater uitgeleef in ’n produksie om die jeug in die Wes-Kaapse Wynland oor higiëne en herwinning op te voed. Op die toonaangewende Kunstekaapverhoog het sy die rol van Crystal vertolk in die Kersfeesproduksie Santa’s Sleighbell Safari. Chloè is bekend vir haar entoesiasme, dinamiese energie en veelsydigheid as aktrise. Haar sterk werksetiek, vasberadenheid, pligsgetrouheid en vriendelike persoonlikheid maak haar ’n aanwins vir enige span. Sy bring ’n sprankel van kreatiwiteit en vreugde waar sy ook al betrokke is.
Chloè van Rooyen is a dynamic and multi-talented theatre practitioner and artist with a deep passion for performance. She graduated with an honours degree in Drama and Theatre Studies from Stellenbosch University, where she received extensive training in voice, speech and movement, and specialised in acting. During her studies, she actively contributed to numerous departmental productions, honing her skills across different facets of theatre. In her final year, Chloè discovered her passion for voice work, marking the beginning of a successful career in radio. While completing her studies, she lent her voice to dubbed telenovelas and formed part of a well-respected cast in radio dramas, and now she is now a dynamic presenter and actor at the radio station RSG. In 2024, she was honoured with a Bright Star award at the Telkom Radio Awards. Throughout her career, she has made appearances in popular local telenovelas, such as Arendsvlei and Skemergrond, showcasing her versatility on screen. Her love for theatre has also seen her tour the Western Cape Winelands with a production educating the youth on hygiene and recycling. On the prestigious Artscape stage, she portrayed the role of Crystal in a heart-warming Christmas production, Santa’s Sleighbell Safari. Chloè is known for her enthusiasm, dynamic energy and multi-skilled performance abilities. Her strong work ethic, determination, diligence and kind personality make her an asset to any team, adding a spark of creativity and joy to every project she undertakes.
Kim Blanché Adonis
Kim Blanché Adonis is ’n aktrise van Kraaifontein, Kaapstad, wat al verskeie toekennings gewen het. In 2018 het sy ’n BA-graad in Drama en Teaterstudies aan die Universiteit van Kaapstad verwerf. Kim ondersoek graag ander kreatiewe benaderings en probeer voortdurend om haar vaardighede as dramaturg en televisieskrywer te verbeter. Sy was nog altyd geesdriftig oor storievertel en hoop om haar merk in hierdie medium te maak. Kim stel werklik belang in jong, onderverteenwoordige groepe wat graag hulle stories wil vertel. “Ek dink daar is ’n plek vir ál ons stories; dié wat universele temas uitlig en dié wat gaan oor ons land se breër sosiopolitieke landskap. Ek wil graag kyk of ek ’n Afrikaanse nuanse aan my skryfwerk kan gee en sien uit daarna om al hoe meer tussen die twee tale te skryf.”
Kim Blanché Adonis is a multi-award-winning actress based in Kraaifontein, Cape Town. She graduated from the University of Cape Town with a BA in Drama and Theatre Studies in 2018. Kim endeavours to explore other creative avenues and has always aspired to better her skills as a writer for both theatre and television. She has also always been passionate about storytelling, and it is a medium that she hopes to continue challenging herself in. Kim is passionate about young, underrepresented groups of people and wants to tell their stories. “I think that there is space for all our stories, highlighting universal issues and those pertaining to our country’s socio-political landscape at large. I am interested in seeing how I can add my Afrikaans nuance to my writing and looking forward to developing my pen between the two languages.”
Kyle Matthew Truter
Kyle Matthew Truter is ’n aspirantdramaturg. Hulle het onlangs hul BA-graad in Drama en Teaterstudies aan Stellenbosch Universiteit voltooi. Kyle skep graag stories vir die verhoog wat ’n mens dieper laat dink. Deur hul karakters se verhale ondersoek hulle temas soos die verbintenis tussen mense, status en die gevolge van sosiopolitieke verandering. Wanneer hulle nie besig is om te skryf nie, geniet Kyle dit om vertonings by te woon, die werk van klassieke en kontemporêre dramaturge te ontleed, en met medekunstenaars te gesels om vars perspektiewe na die teaterwêreld te bring.
Kyle Matthew Truter is an aspiring theatre writer and recent graduate of Stellenbosch University, where they earned a BA in Drama and Theatre Studies. Passionate about crafting thought-provoking stories that come alive on stage, Kyle explores themes of human connection, status and socio-political change through character-driven narratives. Currently honing their craft through self-reflection, readings and exposure to other creatives within the theatre community, they are dedicated to creating original plays that challenge, inspire and entertain audiences. When not immersed in writing, Kyle enjoys attending live performances, analysing the work of both classic and contemporary playwrights, and engaging with fellow creatives to bring fresh perspectives to the world of theatre.
Matthew Smith
Matthew Smith is ’n begeesterde en gedrewe kreatiewe kunstenaar van Plettenbergbaai in die Wes-Kaap. As ’n toegewyde toneelregisseur en dramaturg gebruik Matthew die uitvoerende kunste om onderverteenwoordigde jongmense in sy gemeenskap te bemagtig. In die proses het hy ook toekennings soos Beste Algehele Produksie in die Wes-Kaapse Departement van Kultuursake en Sport se Teaterfees ingepalm. Sy visie is dat opvoeding ’n instrument vir transformasie moet wees. Daarom fokus hy op die sosiale impak van storievertel en gee hy leiding aan ander om volhoubare kunsinisiatiewe te skep. Vir Matthew bly geleenthede vir groei, samewerking en kreatiwiteit belangrik – op en van die verhoog af.
Matthew Smith is a passionate and driven creative from Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape, South Africa. As a dedicated theatre director and writer, Matthew uses the performing arts to empower underrepresented youth in his community, in the process earning accolades such as Best Overall Production at the DCAS Theatre Festival. His commitment to social impact through storytelling, combined with his leadership in developing sustainable arts initiatives, reflects his vision of education as a tool for transformation. Matthew continues to champion opportunities for growth, collaboration and creativity – both on and off the stage.
Ntsikayomzi Benya
Ntsikayomzi Benya is ’n akteur, skrywer en regisseur. In 2009 het hy by die Lady Grey Kunsakademie ingeskryf, waar hy in 2013 gematrikuleer het. Sy hoofvakke was drama en musiek. Daarna het hy sy opleiding by die Suid-Afrikaanse Staatsteater (SAST) voortgesit as deel van die Jeug in Trust-program (2014–2016). Dit het vir hom die geleentheid geskep om op ’n professionele verhoog sy staal te wys. Hy het rolle vertolk in The President’s Man deur Paul Grootboom (2016); in die bekroonde Nasionale Kunstefees-toneelstuk 1606 (2016); en in Tsotsi the Musical deur Kaapstad Opera by Kunstekaap (2018), om net ’n paar te noem. In 2017 het hy sy eerste teaterproduksie, IYEZA, geskryf. Die stuk het ’n kort speelvak by die SAST se Arena Teater gehad, maar in dieselfde jaar het IYEZA die Gauteng iShashalazi Teaterontwikkelingsprogram se titel vir beste draaiboek ontvang. Die Gautengse Departement van Sport, Kuns, Kultuur en Ontspanning het fondse beskikbaar gestel om die toneelstuk verder te neem – en is as die beste teks in die Fresh Fringe Talent-kategorie bekroon is. In 2023 het Ntsikayomzi na Kaapstad verhuis en by die Magnet Teater aangesluit as deel van ’n opleidingsprogram en lid van die teater se jeuggeselskap. In 2024 is ’n uittreksel uit sy toneelstuk, STONES, waaraan hy tans werk, gekies om by die KKNK Teksmark in Kaapstad gelees te word. Sy televisie- end filmrolle sluit in optredes in Suid-Afrika se trefferreeks, The Herd 1 en 2 (2018/19); e.tv se telenovelle, Isipho: The Gift (2019/20); die Moja Love-reeks, Erased (2020); asook advertensies vir Coca-Cola (2019) en Wimpy (2021). Ntsikayomzi woon tans in Kaapstad waar hy toneelspeel en tekste skryf om uiting te gee aan sy brandende begeerte om stories te vertel.
Ntsikayomzi Benya is a South African actor, writer and director. In 2009, he enrolled at the Lady Grey Arts Academy where he majored in drama and music, matriculating in 2013. He continued his training at the South African State Theatre (SAST) under the Youth in Trust Programme (2014–2016), where he got his first experience of performing on a professional stage, taking part taking in The President’s Man by Paul Grootboom (2016), the award-winning National Arts Festival play, 1606 (2016) and Tsotsi the Musical by Cape Town Opera at the Artscape Theatre (2018), to name but a few. In 2017, he wrote his first theatre production titled IYEZA and had a brief season at the SAST’s Arena Theatre. In the same year, IYEZA won the Gauteng iShashalazi Theatre Development Programme title for best script. As a result, the province’s Department of Sports, Arts and Recreation funded the play to go to the Cape Fringe Festival, in which it was nominated for best script in the Fresh Fringe Talent category. In 2023, Ntsikayomzi relocated to Cape Town and joined the Magnet Theatre as part of a training programme and cast for the theatre’s youth company. In 2024, an extract of his currently in-development play STONES was selected for a reading at the KKNK Teksmark, Cape Town. His television and film credits include appearances in South African hit series The Herd 1 and 2 (2018/19), e.tv telenovela Isipho: The Gift (2019/20) and Moja Love series Erased (2020), as well as Coca-Cola (2019) and Wimpy commercials (2021). Ntsikayomzi currently resides in Cape Town, where he continues to act and write scripts to keep his burning desire of telling stories alive.
Willem Esterhuyse
Willem Esterhuyse, wat ’n nagraadse kwalifikasie in Drama aan die Universiteit van die Vrystaat behaal het, is ’n akteur, regisseur en skrywer wat in Kaapstad woon. In 2017 het hulle hul debuut as skrywer en regisseur gemaak met Steke, wat deel was van die Departement van Sport, Kuns en Kultuur se ontwikkelingsprogram. In 2018 het Willem na China verhuis, waar hulle die medestigter van die komediesketsgroep, Briefs, was. Weens COVID-19 moes hulle hul teaterloopbaan ’n paar jaar lank onderbreek. Hulle het voorheen gewerk as akteur (ERA; Die Ongelooflike Avonture van Andries Anders; Love, Crime and Johannesburg), regisseur (Steke, GRIL), en skrywer (Pharmakon, Steke). In 2025 het hulle teruggekeer verhoog toe as deel van die nuwe komedie-groep, The Cape Town Sketch Comedy Club.
Willem Esterhuyse, who holds a postgraduate degree in drama from the University of the Free State, is a Cape Town-based actor, director and writer. In 2017, they had their debut as a writer and director with their show Steke, which formed part of the Department of Sports, Art and Culture incubator programme. In 2018, they moved to China and co-founded the comedy sketch group Briefs. Due to Covid, they paused their career in theatre for a few years. Before this, they were an actor (ERA; Die Ongelooflike Avonture van Andries Anders; Love, Crime and Johannesburg), director (Steke, GRIL), and writer (Pharmakon, Steke). They subsequently returned to the stage in 2025 as part of the new comedy sketch group, The Cape Town Sketch Comedy Club.
Die NATi Jong Sterre-projek word moontlik gemaak deur NATi, die Suidoosterfees, die Jakes Gerwel Stigting en Artscape.
The NATi Rising Stars project is made possible by NATi, the Suidoosterfees, the Jakes Gerwel Foundation and Artscape.
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