William Mwangi is soaking it all in

Voices of the Bible: Kings and Leaders Edition is the second production from ChemiChemi Players. It was staged at the Performing Arts Centre: Braeburn Garden Estate and at the Mamlaka Hill Chapel, City Campus. The standards continue to be set high, with audience members walking away not only entertained but challenged as well, bearing in mind this is an election year.

I chatted with William Mwangi about his experience from the show on and off stage. Here is what he had to say:

Fifteen different characters were portrayed on stage. You played two of them. Who was your favourite?

 Initially, it was Uriah, which was a challenging role. I had to work hard to understand the piece and find a way to play it. It was a monologue that also included a fight sequence. The poetic language was an acting dream come true. I have always wanted to play Shakespearean roles; this was the closest I could get to it. It proved to be a worthwhile challenge. Our director helped me with the blocking and breaking down the beats necessary for every part. Eventually, I gravitated towards Gideon. It played to my strengths and involved an ensemble cast where I played off the other cast members which made it much more fun. 

You were also spearheading the PR and Marketing for the show. What did you learn from this equally demanding department? 

 You can only do so much. At some point, you have to trust the work you have done. It provided some insight into how the mind of the audience works. You can follow the tried and tested formula; that won’t necessarily translate into sales. It was a Christian production, and it was quite interesting to see how people engaged with the marketing content for the show. I’m looking forward to using the lessons I learned elsewhere.

What was different about being part of an all-male cast?

 I wouldn’t say it was all that different because we are all unique performers with distinct skillsets that added to the overall performance- I would say that the banter and the jokes were endless. Being the youngest in the team meant I was a sponge- soaking in all the advice from the stories the guys would share about their careers and their journeys to get here. 

How did you grow as a Christian in this production? 

I learnt to trust God more in my decision-making; I should seek God’s voice in every matter before I pursue what I consider to be the next ‘logical’ steps. I realized mid-way through the production that sometimes we might not enjoy the fruits of our labour immediately, but God sees what we are doing, and the work is never in vain. 

Are there any more projects we should look out for from William? 

I’m excited to be launching a clothing line very soon. I hope to collaborate with more creatives and help connect audiences to their work. As Head of Theatre and the Performing Arts Centre, I’m looking forward to getting our next production on stage.