Cadre has been written to honor the 21,000 people who died during apartheid: families, friends and all the unsung heroes who helped to achieve our democracy. However, with 19,000 deaths a year due to crime and poverty the play questions whether we have forgotten why we fought for freedom.

Omphile Molusi states—“When we demolished the apartheid system, we thought that the fight was over. We can all accept each other now. We are a part of a diverse community. For the most part, we all get along. But what we should realize is that if we are too careless—through corruption, lack of service delivery, arrogance or negligence—we might lose this dreamland. It is important to remind ourselves of why we fought for freedom so that we avoid history repeating itself.”

Omphile Molusi (Actor/Director/Playwright) has been a freelance writer/actor/director since 2001. Acting credits include: Shakespeare Dreaming at the Zoo, Sizwe Bansi Is Dead, Animal Farm, Robben Island Bible, Itsoseng, Romeo and Juliet, The Mirror, Caucasian Chalk Circle, Much Ado About Nothing, Echoes, Blurring Shine, Julius Caesar, Sharpeville 1 and 2, among others. Playwriting credits include: Itsoseng, which he performed internationally, including at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Dublin Festival in Ireland (published by Junkets Publishers and Oxford University Press South Africa, adapted for BBC radio play); Informal (The Market Theatre Lab, National School of the Arts); Cadre (reading at Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Balalatladi (reading at The Kennedy Center, Family Season Festival in Cape Town); For the Right Reasons (published by Oxford University Press South Africa, Junkets Publishers); Daddy Comes Tonight(published by Junkets Publishers); The Sweet Door (Windy-brow Theatre); Ijo! (The Market Theatre Laboratory, Grahams-town National Arts Festival 2005); Pozeng (resident project, The Market Theatre Lab-oratory); and a short story Bargain (published by Penguin Publishers). Directing credits include: Informal, Balalatladi, Ijo and Pozeng. Television writing credits include: Zone 14 series 2, 3, 4 and 5. Mr. Molusi was the first recipient of the Bret Goldin Bursary, which gave him the opportunity to intern at the Royal Shakespeare Company as an actor. He also won the Scotsman Fringe First Award 2008 for Itsoseng (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), the Andre Deshields Award for Itsoseng, and in Chicago, the Black Theatre Alliance Award for Best Performance in 2010. He taught the Cicely Berry voice technique and acting at the Actors Centre and is currently teaching at The Market Theatre Laboratory. Mr. Molusi is a graduate of The Market Theatre Laboratory, where since 2010 he served as a field worker.

Sello Motloung (Actor) Theater credits include: This Is for Keeps, The Secret Ballot, Mosetlhe Season, Socks & Toothpaste, Cold Stone Jug, Master Harold... and the Boys, The Cherry Orchards and The Free State, Milestone, The Good Woman of Sharkville (VITA Award nomination, South Africa and UK tour), Beyond the Grave, The Untold Story and Broken Dreams. Film and television credits include: Clint Eastwood’s Invictus, The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency with Jill Scott, Human Cargo (Canada), Chikin Biznis with Fats Bookholoane (M-Net All Africa Film Award nomination), Life Above All, Tirza, Isidingo, Mento Men and Jerusalem. Mr. Motloung was part of the workshop that devised Zakes Mda’s HIV/TB awareness play, Broken (The Market Theatre Laboratory), which toured to thousands of schools between 1995 and 2010. He is currently working on an adaptation of Zakes Mda’s play The Mother of All Eatings. Mr. Motloung trained with the Soyikwa Insitute of African Theatre, Moving Into Dance Mophatong and the British American Drama Academy.

Lillian Tshabalala (Actor/Music Director) previously worked with Omphile Molusi on his plays Informal and Balalatladi (ASSITEJ/TAAJ Family Season Festival). Other theater credits include: Going back, written and directed by Sipho Radebe (Sithuthuka Sisonke Drama Players Organization, Grahamstown National Arts Festival); Tick Tock, which she co-wrote with Phiwokuhle Mazibuko, directed by Ayanda Sithebe (Best Actress and Best Script, Total/Sibikwa Arts Festival); spoken silence by Mandisa Vundla and directed by Nelson Mokoena; My Richest Yard directed by Ayanda Sithebe (Youth in Trust); Touched, facilitated by James Nqobo and directed by Jerry Khauwe (Grahamstown National Arts Festival, The Market Theatre); and perpetrator to prey (Market Theatre Laboratory). Film credits include Open Happiness directed by Mongi Mthombeni. Radio credits include Paraffin Safety. Voice-over credits include Visa and ABSA Bank. She trained at The Market Theatre Laboratory in Johannesburg.

Scott Davis (Scenic and Costume Designer) returns to Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where his credits include: Othello: the Remix, Beauty and the Beast,Murder for Two, Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet and Short Shakespeare! Macbeth. Other Chicago credits include productions with: Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Garage, Court Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater, Drury Lane Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Griffin Theatre and Northwestern University. Regional credits include productions with: Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Rep Stage and Dallas Theatre Center. Mr. Davis serves as adjunct faculty at Columbia College having received degrees from the University of Maryland College Park and Northwestern University.

Jesse Klug (Lighting Designer) returns to Chicago Shakespeare Theater for his twelfth production including: Othello: The Remix, Murder for Two, How Can You Run with a Shell on Your Back?, The Three Musketeers and Seussical! The Musical. Other Chicago credits include productions with: The Marriott Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Broadway in Chicago, Victory Gardens Theater, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Steppenwolf Theatre, Court Theatre, Writers’ Theatre, American Theatre Company, TimeLine Theatre and Chicago Dramatists. Off Broadway credits include: The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity (Lucile Lortel Award Nomination and Henry Hewes Award Nomination, Second Stage); The Screw Tape Letters (Westside Arts and the national tour); Romulus (Guggenheim Museum); and The Hourglass (NYMF). Regional credits include productions with: Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Fulton Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre Company. Mr. Klug has received an After Dark Award and a Jeff Award.

Matt Hawkins (Fight Choreographer) returns to Chicago Shakespeare, where his credits include: fight choreographer for Julius Caesar, Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet (2013),The Taming of the Shrew, Twelfth Night and CPS! Hamlet, and fight choreographer/assistant director on Short Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Edward II and Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet (2008). Other Chicago credits include productions with: Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Court Theatre, Redmoon, American Theater Company and Chicago Children’s Theater. Regional credits include The Kennedy Center and The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. International credits include Royal Shakespeare Company and Stratford Festival. Mr. Hawkins is a founding member of The House Theatre of Chicago, and an artistic associate with Strawdog Theatre Company and 500 Clown. He has received five Jeff Awards. Upcoming projects include The Three Musketeers (Lifeline Theater) and directing Big Love (Strawdog).  He has taught at Loyola University, the Conservatory at Act One Studios, University of Chicago, Roosevelt University, University of Iowa and Northwestern University.  

Ari Clouse (Production Stage Manager) returns to Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where she previously served as the stage coordinator for CPS Shakespeare! Hamlet and the stage management intern for The Feast: an intimate Tempest. Other Chicago credits include stage management for 1001, Sketchbook XI (Collaboraction) and The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Theater Mir), as well as work with: The Second City, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Lookingglass Theatre Company, and production management for Redmoon. Ms. Clouse is a graduate of the University of Chicago.