Meta-Morphed: Interactive Forum Theatre Production Engages Youth on Identity, Social Media and Belonging

16 – 20 March 2026 | Touring Gauteng Educational and Community Venues

This Human Rights Month, Sibikwa Arts Centre presents Meta-Morphed, a powerful Forum Theatre production exploring the impact of social media on identity, belonging and self-worth among young people.

Touring between 16 and 20 March 2026, the production is designed specifically for high schools, TVET colleges, universities, and youth community groups, targeting audiences aged 15 – 30 years. Rather than taking place in a traditional theatre, Meta-Morphed travels directly to educational and community spaces, allowing audiences to engage with the performance within their own environments.

In an age where screens shape self-worth and digital validation often replaces real connection, Meta-Morphed examines the complex relationship between young people, social media and identity. Created and performed by Sibikwa Arts Centre artist-facilitators participating in the ASSITEJ SA Social Employment Fund (SEF) programme, the production explores how online platforms can both connect and isolate – offering the illusion of belonging while intensifying feelings of invisibility, pressure and comparison.

Set against the lived realities of township life, the piece contrasts authentic community, culture and shared experience with the curated worlds of social media. Through the interactive methodology of Forum Theatre, audiences are invited to step into the story, challenge the decisions made by characters, and collectively imagine healthier pathways toward identity, belonging, and self-definition.

Directed by theatre practitioner Dintshitile Mashile, the production encourages dialogue, reflection, and collective problem-solving, centring youth voices and experiences while questioning who gets to define value, beauty, success, and belonging in the digital age.

Meta-Morphed forms part of Sibikwa Arts Centre’s 2026 Stages of Change programme, which foregrounds youth agency, women’s leadership and civic participation through arts-based engagement. The programme aligns with Sibikwa’s 2026 thematic focus of linking historical struggles for justice with contemporary questions of identity, voice and belonging, as South Africa marks 50 years since the 1976 Soweto Uprisings and 70 years since the 1956 Women’s March.

The project is funded by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture through the Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation and the Federation of Gauteng Community Arts.

Booking Information

Educational institutions and community groups are invited to book the production to perform at their venue during the touring period.

  • Dates: 16 – 20 March 2026
  • Audience: Youth aged 15–30
  • Maximum audience size: 50 participants per performance
  • Ticket price: R100 per person

Because the production uses Forum Theatre participation, smaller audiences are encouraged to ensure meaningful engagement and dialogue.

Enquiries and Bookings

Sipho Michael Mabena | Sibikwa Arts Centre

Tel: 011 422 4359 | WhatsApp: 068 066 3910 | Email: michael@sibikwa.co.za