TONYA KOENDERMAN

Based in Johannesburg

Tonya Koenderman has been hailed by critics as "one of the hottest properties on the cabaret circuit", and "a pint sized dynamo". After 15 years in show business, there is no stopping her now, as she continues to wow audiences both locally and abroad.

Tonya started her career fresh out of drama school with Kevin Feather's cabaret, The Dooh Wah Girls in 1990, which ran on and off for four years. Other cabarets under her belt are We 3 with Gordon Mulholland and Paul Andrews, as well as the Cape Town hits, Juke is King, Jive to the Juke, and Wurlitzer. More recently she has teamed up with fellow singer, Anne-Marie Clulow to create All of Woman and Shake Your Bootie, both of which have performed to packed houses throughout South Africa.

Her solo cabarets include the hits, Tonya unwrapped, Makin' Whoopee, Liza with a T, Age of Aquarius, Divas to a T, and Born To Diva. Tonya performed in the look-alike, sound-alike show, Stars in your Eyes, which ran for two seasons at the Carousel. She has worked extensively for Sun International in Extravaganzas such as Jump, Shout, Bop and Boogie , and later she starred in Skin Tight and Ooh La Lah, both devised and directed by Bryan Bester.

Tonya had the great honour of being the only local artist to star in the Sun City sensation, Beyond Belief, which ran for 16 months at the Sun City Extravaganza. She has worked at Caesar's casino as the guest artist in the dance extravaganzas, Dazzle directed by Bryan Bester, and Celebrate directed by Amber Baty and Billy Hogg. This year, she performed in two shows directed and produced by Pierre Falerne: Tom Jones versus Tina Turner and Neil Diamond and Friends which have run in Namibia, Swaziland, White River, and the Wild Coast Sun.

Most recently, Tonya has been very much in the corporate function scene, performing for companies such as Investec, Standard Bank, Nedbank, Appletizer, Gillette, S.A. Breweries, Avis, Adcock Ingram, to name but a few. She has worked extensively abroad, in countries as far afield as Morrocco, Seychelles (where she works regularly for "royalty"), Australia, and Ethiopia (for the World Health Organisation).

SHOWS ON OFFER......

DIVAS is a tribute to all the great ladies of song: Liza Minnelli, Shirley Bassey, Miriam Makeba, Tina Turner, Bette Midler, plus others!!! All your favourites are there: New York New York, Simply the Best, Proud Mary, Pata Pata, Big Spender, Nutbush City Limits, I Will Survive, and many more..

SHAKE YOUR BOOTIE is a fun-filled tribute to the seventies, complete with bell bottoms, platforms, and big hair!!! You'll be dancing down the aisles to the likes of Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, Queen, and Tina Turner. A party is guaranteed by all!!!

AGE OF AQUARIUS is a playful romp down memory lane to the outrageous sixties. This show promises to get your foot tapping to the likes of Da Do Ron Ron, It's My Party, Downtown, Under the Boardwalk and Honky Tonk Woman.

UMPHAKATHI is the ultimate entertainment experience with a uniquely local flavour: Special Star, African Dream, Pata Pata, Jikele Maweni, and Umqomboti to name but a few. This show boasts a larger cast: four to eight drummers/dancers as well as Cathy Del Mei on saxophone and penny whistle. And of course, fronted by Tonya herself.

FEEDBACK

"Many thanks, we had a fantastic evening. Tonya is beautiful and had the guests on the edge of their seats!!! I will most definitely make use of her talents again in future" - Yvette Pretorius, Khaya Ibhubesi, PARYS