Playing Snow White, the Klerksdorp-born actress returns to a space where she made her stage debut through the musical The Colour Purple. She'll become the first black female actor to portray the role in a pantomime, a comedic stage production mainly for children.
The show also features actors like Dylan du Plessis, David Arnold Johnson, Ilse Klink and Hlengiwe Lushaba Madlala.
The 29-year-old Khunou defines Pantoland as a story about Disney characters that children can relate to.
“It is about Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk and it brings all these interesting characters together to fight as a team. It is a representation of good versus evil that we are living in. But we are finding ways to teach these ideas to children in a manner in which they can relate to easily and also make the rest of the audiences chuckle,” she said.
“These characters need to go through obstacles to ultimately win golden goblet. We have taken these heavy and interesting stories and found a way to portray them in a way that children can understand them.
"For me, I am just happy to be back at Joburg Theatre, a place that gave my career a boast and jump-start. I am excited to be the first black woman to play Snow White.”
With the role of Snow White, she is able to explore a very sweet and fun role as opposed to the dramatic characters she has been portraying. What fascinates the young actress is the technology used to project the live performance on LED screens, colourful lights and beautiful stage designs.
“What I enjoy about pantomime is the lightheartedness and basically the technology that is included in the performance. Panto is not serious, and is about fantasy. It appeals to kids and little inner kids inside us as adults.
"I am known for dramatic roles and it is wonderful to take on the role that is quite a contrast and away from what I am usually cast in. It is my first panto, I mostly do musicals, but I am quite comfortable with it.”
Khunou is working with the same creative team she worked with in The Colour Purple from which she won a Naledi Award and the Broadway World Online Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical.
Khunou has another talent in the arts: music. She has already released some dance music songs on digital platforms. When she was studying for her honours in dramatic arts at Wits University, she had a band with which she performed at venues around Joburg.
If she is not shooting Isono and performing at Joburg Theatre, she MCs at live events.
“I am working on an animation series. I try to explore many different ways to express myself as a creative while making sure I have various streams of income. It is boring to focus on one thing.”
FACT FILE
Favourite Music: Funk, neo-soul & jazz
Favourite Artist: Seba Kaapstad & Amindi
Top Three Songs: Knock Me Off My Feet, Love Poems, Basic Love
Favourite TV Show: L Word
Favourite Saying: People can only meet you as deeply as they've met themselves
Multitalented actor Khunou targets Hollywood, Broadway
First black Snow White is also musician and MC
Image: Supplied
Having made remarkable appearances in different TV shows in her first five years as a professional, actress Didintle Khunou plans to establish her brand locally and internationally.
Inspired by local stars who are making their name internationally like Thuso Mbedu, Bonnie Mbuli and Nomzamo Mbatha among others, Khunou inspires to land a role in Broadway and West End productions.
The North West-born stage and TV actress has already begun with her mission by finding an agency in Los Angeles.
The multi-talented Khunou made her debut in Mamello, an SABC TV series, in 2016, and since then she has appeared in shows like Single Galz, Savage Beauty, 13 Weeks to Find Mr Right and is currently in Isono as Eunice Ndlovu.
“The plan is to establish myself as an international entity and brand. I want to expand myself and to find opportunities at home and abroad. From 2023, it is something that I will be working on and finding productions suitable for me.”
While waiting for opportunities to open up, Khunou is making history as she becomes the first black woman to portray the role of Snow White in Janice Honeyman’s Pantoland currently on at the Joburg Theatre in Braamfontein. The Snow White character is originally from a fairytale, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs.
Image: Supplied
Playing Snow White, the Klerksdorp-born actress returns to a space where she made her stage debut through the musical The Colour Purple. She'll become the first black female actor to portray the role in a pantomime, a comedic stage production mainly for children.
The show also features actors like Dylan du Plessis, David Arnold Johnson, Ilse Klink and Hlengiwe Lushaba Madlala.
The 29-year-old Khunou defines Pantoland as a story about Disney characters that children can relate to.
“It is about Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk and it brings all these interesting characters together to fight as a team. It is a representation of good versus evil that we are living in. But we are finding ways to teach these ideas to children in a manner in which they can relate to easily and also make the rest of the audiences chuckle,” she said.
“These characters need to go through obstacles to ultimately win golden goblet. We have taken these heavy and interesting stories and found a way to portray them in a way that children can understand them.
"For me, I am just happy to be back at Joburg Theatre, a place that gave my career a boast and jump-start. I am excited to be the first black woman to play Snow White.”
With the role of Snow White, she is able to explore a very sweet and fun role as opposed to the dramatic characters she has been portraying. What fascinates the young actress is the technology used to project the live performance on LED screens, colourful lights and beautiful stage designs.
“What I enjoy about pantomime is the lightheartedness and basically the technology that is included in the performance. Panto is not serious, and is about fantasy. It appeals to kids and little inner kids inside us as adults.
"I am known for dramatic roles and it is wonderful to take on the role that is quite a contrast and away from what I am usually cast in. It is my first panto, I mostly do musicals, but I am quite comfortable with it.”
Khunou is working with the same creative team she worked with in The Colour Purple from which she won a Naledi Award and the Broadway World Online Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical.
Khunou has another talent in the arts: music. She has already released some dance music songs on digital platforms. When she was studying for her honours in dramatic arts at Wits University, she had a band with which she performed at venues around Joburg.
If she is not shooting Isono and performing at Joburg Theatre, she MCs at live events.
“I am working on an animation series. I try to explore many different ways to express myself as a creative while making sure I have various streams of income. It is boring to focus on one thing.”
FACT FILE
Favourite Music: Funk, neo-soul & jazz
Favourite Artist: Seba Kaapstad & Amindi
Top Three Songs: Knock Me Off My Feet, Love Poems, Basic Love
Favourite TV Show: L Word
Favourite Saying: People can only meet you as deeply as they've met themselves
Didintle Khunou to star in Rocky Horror Show
Sky is the limit for performer Didintle Khunou
Head in the stars, but Didintle Khunou still grounded
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