Kaylene Hendricks, 26, of Kuils River, has a starring role in the musical, South Pacific, coming to the Artscape theatre this month.
The story revolves around American nurses and sailors stationed on an island in the South Pacific during World War II.
Nellie, a spunky nurse from Arkansas, falls in love with Emile, a French expat with mixed-race children, while Lieutenant Joseph Cable finds himself in a passionate relationship with Liat a local islander.
As the war against Japan escalates, both Nellie and Joseph have to confront their long-held racial prejudices to save their unconventional relationships.
Kaylene says she has no issues playing the role of Liat as she was in the past also restricted from having an interracial relationship.
She says she wanted to be an actress from a young age.
“When I was younger would always imagine that I am the actress in the film.”
She did a sports science degree and after graduating in 2018, started taking part in community theatre, and it’s from there that she landed her latest role.
“I doubted myself for a long time, but, look, here I am at Artscape.”
Managing her time between work at Western Province Cricket Club and evening theatre rehearsals is “crazy”, she says, but she loves what she is doing.
Kaylene says she plans to study drama part-time.
South Pacific, which runs from Saturday July 20 to Saturday August 10, features well-known songs such as Some Enchanted Evening, There’s Nothing Like a Dame, Bali Hai and I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair.
The Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical is being staged by the Gilbert and Sullivan Society.
Tickets cost from R140 to R290. and can be booked through Computicket.