Video Description: Miriam Makeba: Mama Africa the Musical tells the life story of South African recording artist Miriam Zenzi Makeba. Makeba brought the sounds of Africa to the western world in a dramatic fashion. Makeba’s magical voice brought her international success, which outlined her activism in helping to bring down apartheid in her homeland. For 31 years she lived in exile enduring many personal tragedies including the death of her mother and only daughter. Despite her heartaches, she continued the fight to free South Africa from the grips of oppression.

• Use the video to give students an example of the process an artist goes through to create an original theatre production.
• Use the video in a cross-curricular activity focused on geography, music, and theatre. Based on the subject matter and locations involved in the musical, if students were creating a production, what colors might they use in costumes, what might the music sound like, how might they design the set?