Biography
Raised between sunny Durban, South Africa and New York City, multi-award-winning Actress, Singer, Songwriter, Dancer and Writer Nondumiso Tembe is well on her way to becoming one of Africa's brightest international stars. The proud daughter of two of Africa's most successful Opera singers and trailblazers, artistic expression is deeply embedded in her DNA, though she has forged a unique path of her own, enjoying a diverse, international career in the Performing Arts.
Nondumiso is believed to have been the first South African actress to obtain a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the famed Yale School of Drama. She also holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre and Political Science from New York's The New School, as well as certificates in Classical Theatre from the British American Drama Academy at Oxford University, England and Musical Theatre from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. The multi-disciplinary artist has studied Classical Ballet for over 20 years and is also a dynamic voice over artist.
One of Nondumiso's proudest accomplishments is being a pioneer in the Artist Wellness space. She is the founder and creator of "The Healthy & Whole Artist" - a compassionate, practical guide for artists on how to create and sustain a healthy and whole life in art.
An accomplished actress, Nondumiso is known for her powerful, moving work on beloved television shows like TRUE BLOOD (HBO), NCIS & NCIS:LA (CBS), CASTLE (ABC), SIX (A+E, HISTORY CHANNEL) and feature films like ZULU WEDDING (Amazon Prime), A TOURIST'S GUIDE TO LOVE (Netflix), MICHAEL JACKSON: SEARCHING FOR NEVERLAND (Lifetime).
Her theatre resumé is also notable and extensive, having performed on some of the most renowned stages in the world, including the McCarter Theatre at Princeton, Yale Repertory Theatre, the Miller Theatre at Columbia, the Boston Court Theatre, Walt Disney Studios, the renowned Steppenwolf Theatre Company and the popular Edinburgh Festival in Scotland.
Her bold reimagining of Joyce in the first revival of the groundbreaking South African musical, "King Kong," earned her a Best Lead Actress in a Musical South African Magazine Theatre Award win as well as Fleur du Cap and Naledi Theatre Award nominations.
She took home the Best Lead Actress in a Musical Mercury Theatre Award for her tour-de-force performance in the title role in a celebrated revival of Rogers and Hammerstein's beloved musical, "Cinderella," and a Best Actress in a Supporting Role Naledi Theatre Award for her razor-sharp portrayal of Susan in David Mamet's provocative play, "Race."
Recently, Nondumiso took on the role of a lifetime as Cleopatra in Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival's "Antony & Cleopatra" and then wowed critics in the title role in the illustrious Steppenwolf Theatre Company new musical, "Lindiwe," featuring Grammy Award-winning World Music group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
A well-respected Singer-Songwriter, her critically-acclaimed debut album, "IZWI LAMI; My Voice," made waves in the Southern African music industry, earning her a MetroFM Music Award win and Best Female Album and Best EthnoSoul Artist South African Traditional Music Award nominations. Her album is available on iTunes.
Some of her proudest live concert performances include singing for Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday celebration, sharing the stage with her parents at a 2010 FIFA World Cup concert the year her country hosted and her powerful tribute performances at the United Nations UNESCO in Paris.
Nondumiso is based in Los Angeles, where she continues to create and develop her own work and passionately pioneer a joyful safe space for artists through her company, The Healthy & Whole Artist!
