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Tafadzwa Zimoyo Senior Arts Reporter
In a bid to promote and nurture acting talents among all ages, local soap Wenera executive committee hosted successful auditions dubbed, “Wenera Next’s Star”, over the weekend. The auditions, which were recorded, saw thousands of aspiring actors taking part, including prominent faces in the music and fashion industry.

The lively auditions saw Wenera actors — Zolile Makeleni (Tsotsi), Samantha Chitape (Donna) and Thabisile Mkandla (Thoko) — as part of judges for the first season.

Wenera executive producer and creative writer Eddie Ndlovu said he was overwhelmed by the turnout.

He said they have decided to do the show so as to engage fans and aspiring actors in the next season of the soap.

“It is not only a thank you to our fans, where you can also get a chance to be in the next episode or season of Wenera, but to nurture talents as well.

The turnout is so amazing and this couldn’t be done in a day. We have decided to do the show whereby we go in different cities and towns, scout talents, do auditions for about 10 episodes then knockouts in 11 and 12 episodes with the final in episode 13. We then select a male and female to be in the next season of Wenera,” he said.

Ndlovu said they will also conduct grooming and coaching lessons on the forthcoming workshops.

“This will also help before auditions, so that people will have a clear understanding first of what we will be looking at or how the industry is like. We are in talks with some major shareholders to assist on that platform,” he said.

He said that they be partnering ZBC to screen the auditions. “We will give the viewers the chance to select the actors they want hence we are going to open the voting platform soon and everything will be screened on television.

“Wenera is now more than a television show, but a brand which has become part of people’s lives,” he said.

Ndlovu said each city or town will be representing an episode.

“We are going to be in Kadoma, Kwekwe, Gweru, Bulawayo, Masvingo, Zvishavane, Mutare, Marondera, Chitungwiza, Bindura and Mazowe among others.

“Harare we are now wrapping up. So from episode 11 and 12 we will include three film directors who will have a team each and participate in some scenes that will be shot and presented in the finals,” he said.

He added that there is no prize money for the winners.