Opposing Apartheid on Stage: King Kong the Musical

In 1959, King Kong, an interracial jazz opera, swept across South Africa and became a countrywide phenomenon. Its performances sold out, its LP record was widely heard, and its cast became recognized celebrities. Featuring an African composer, cast, and orchestra but predominantly white directors and producers, this interracial production seemed completely distinct from any other theatrical production in the country’s history. Despite being staged over a decade after the enacting of apartheid, the interracial collaboration met widespread and acclaim that bridged South Africa’s racial, political, ethnic, and class fissures.

Widely considered a watershed moment within the history of South African theater and music, the King Kong musical encapsulated key currents with South African cultural history. Author Tyler Fleming’s gripping narrative unpacks the life of the musical, from the emergence of the heavyweight boxer ＂King Kong＂ Dlamini to the behind-the-scenes dynamics of rehearsals to the musical’s 1961 tour of Britain and the later experience of cast members living in exile for their opposition to apartheid. Opposing Apartheid on Stage: ＂King Kong＂ the Musical explores the history of this jazz opera and its enduring legacy in both South African cultural history and global popular culture.

TYLER FLEMING is Associate Professor of Pan-African Studies and History at the University of Louisville.