2013-08-23Staff Report 2 "WINDHOEK-Gloria Nelago Janet Shilongoh is no new to the arts industry. Having been involved in theatres in and outside of the country for the past few years, Gloria is still going stronger, and soon she will release her historic play that she is currently working on. Gloria says the historic play is set and based on the early 1960s in Namibia. Although the play is not yet titled, Gloria adds that the play follows the daily lives of two People Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN)’s soldiers in and out of the camps, and during the Omuguluwombashe battle. “The play further translates the daily struggles of the “unknown” soldier, and his dreams and actions towards an independent Namibia,” says Gloria. At the tender age of only 22 years, the young actress established herself as a local theatre practitioner, who is currently studying Performing Arts at the University of Namibia (Unam). She has also been involved in various training and skills development programmes with Lucky Peters, The College of Arts, and in Zimbabwe as well as South Africa with Dr. Robert McLaren, the director of the Chipawo World Organisation. Gloria took part in the various plays at the National Theater of Namibia (NTN) including the Art Beat and Meme Mia, Unam and at the Bank Windhoek Theatre School under the play titled My Koek is Moeg, as a Poet. Moreover, she has also worked in various industrial theatres and poetry projects, occasionally writing for Pan Africa Namibia. Hence, the eager beaver went on to debut herself as a director in her Theatre Zone 2012 production called Broken Butterflies late last year and it has been filming at NTN for quite sometimes. The production was later nominated in the Namibian Film and Theatre Awards 2012 for the category of Best Female Role. Gloria, a strong believer in applying a country’s development through Arts and Culture towards national goals, appreciates the necessity to practice her activism in producing a versatile national identity that is of world standards. She has thus committed herself to the initiative as a director, writer and performer. By Pinehas Nakaziko" 2013-08-23Staff Report 2
