#ForYOUTH: Meet Samuel

Meet Samuel Jumat - Drama teacher, writer and director.

Samuel Jumat is a 28-year-old drama teacher, writer and director. From a very young age, Samuel knew that drama would be his calling. It all started at primary school where he chose drama as a subject and immediately fell in love with the art.

“As a young person I was very shy but was always interested in storytelling and sharing my own unique experiences. When I discovered that drama was a subject that my school offered, I immediately gravitated towards it, as it provided me with the perfect platform to express myself without feeling like I was out of place”.

Hailing from the town of George in the Southern Cape, opportunities were very limited for him, but through patience and perseverance, he continued his path towards reaching his goals.

“Coming from a community where opportunities are far and few between, joining the DCAS programme helped me step out of my comfort zone and gave me a chance to discover abilities within myself that I never knew I had before.”
His most memorable moment first came when he wrote his first ever play for the DCAS theatre festival in which he directed and starred in. At the time, him and his partner Llewellyn Booi were under extreme time constraints and literally had only one day to rehearse.

“All the other groups were already prepping five months prior to the festival, but because of difficult circumstances we faced we only had one day to prepare for the final show. But that didn’t stop us from finishing what we started. As they say in show business, the show must go on, and so it did.”
In a surprising and shocking turn of events, the drama duo ended up winning the festival, an achievement he never thought possible since they had so little time to prepare.

“We were completely ecstatic when we heard the news. We never expected it to happen. But I think what made us win over the judge’s approval was the fact that our story came from a place of authenticity and sincerity. It was rooted and grounded in our own realities, which I think is what appealed to those judging the festival”.

As a result, Samuel and his partner were invited to the KKNK festival where they were handed the opportunity to perform in front of an audience of hundreds. This was the turning point for him, as it gave him exposure to a world he had never trodden within and showed just how far believing in himself and in his craft would take him. It would be the first major sign of greater things to come.

As a young person in a world that was at first seemingly unfamiliar to him, he sometimes found it hard to tell genuine stories that came from a place of truth, citing that he was afraid audience wouldn’t be able to identify with those truths. But thanks to the mentors and facilitators at DCAS drama programme, he has honed his ability to do so. “Through the guidance and mentorship of the DCAS facilitators and mentors, I was exposed to the true realities of drama and was able share my experiences from a place of originality without the fear of being judged. All the knowledge I have gained and everything I’ve learned so far, I owe to the people from the DCAS drama programme who’ve helped me along the way”.

For Samuel, one of the most valuable skills the DCAS drama programme has taught him was to trust the process. In the infancy of his acting, writing and directing days, he was often too focussed on the result. But thanks to the opportunities given to him by the DCAS drama programme, he was able to trust the process, find his true voice and ultimate tell his own unique stories.
“Often as actors and writers we get so caught up in seeing the final product that we forget to trust the process. But my mentors and facilitators have really opened my eyes to seeing what goes into creating something memorable and worth sharing.

As a result, the DCAS drama programme has completely changes his outlook on life, and on his future. Since joining, he’s been able to travel and meet many like-minded individuals and talents alike who have impacted his life in a massive way. This has helped him develop his skillsets even further and given him the confidence to break boundaries and challenge himself in ways he never imagined.

“They say there’s no bravery without fear, so for me, being scared is a good thing. It’s means you’re still alive and you still have a chance at succeeding. Opportunities are there to mould us, and if you don’t take your chances, if you don’t try, you’ll never know”.

His achievements and journey towards success has not just shaped his future but has also had a positive effect on his broader community. He believes that everyone has a story to tell and before you want people to believe in you, you need to believe in yourself. “I’m proud that the work I do has instilled self-belief in the young people I’m privileged to teach. Young people are the leaders of tomorrow. It doesn’t matter how old you are or where you come from. Our youth often feel like their voices go unheard, but drama has given them each a voice of their own and a platform for their voices to be heard. It warms my heart to see the parents of the kids I teach give a standing ovation every time their child puts on a start -studded performance, and for me, that’s all I’ll ever need to keep doing what I do.

Next year, he plans to write, direct and star in his very own production, along with some of the amazing talents his met along the way. He has come full circle, from being trained by the DCAS drama facilitators to now being a drama facilitator himself. Samuel is not just an artist; he is a pillar of strength and inspiration to the community he serves and continues to help build the dreams of everyone he encounters.