3 TONS OF FUN - Starring Michelle Thomas, Bulelwa Sakayi & Sthe Mfuphi.

 

3 Tons of Fun have emerged over the last 8 years as one of Cape Town’s most loved all-female groups.  They are in great demand on the corporate circuit throughout South Africa and have performed at functions for top companies including amongst others Standard Bank, Ernst & Young, BOE, Sanlam, Transnet, Bidvest, Pick n Pay, Rabie Properties, IBM and Ericsson as well as at many prestigious events at the Arabella Sheraton Hotel, Kelvin Grove, and at Evita Bezuidenhout’s 80th birthday party in 2005.  

3 Tons of Fun were invited to perform at SABC3’s 3Talk Conference early in 2006 and at the Woman of the Year function in July of that year.  Their first international engagement was in Thailand in September 2006 to entertain Pick n Pay franchisees from all over the world in their annual Conference.  Since then they have travelled to Switzerland, Swaziland, Togo, Zambia, Ghana, Seychelles and Namibia as well as wowing audiences throughout South Africa and performing regularly at conferences at Sun City.  They were the performers who wowed the audience at a Gala Dinner at the closing of the World Orchid Society Conference in Cape Town in September 2007.  3 Tons of Fun sang the acceptance speech for John Vlismas at the 2007 SA Comedy Awards.  They were also privileged to be part of some of South Africa’s top performers to perform at the switching on of the Christmas lights in Cape Town in December 2007.  

More recently they have performed at the Loerie Awards 2008 and the Huisgenoot/YOU Skouspel in October 2008.  In 2009 amongst many corporates throughout South Africa they also performed in Botswana, Nigeria and Thailand and are performed in Thailand in April of 2010 as part of the Freedom Day celebrations. They have recently returned from performing in the Seychelles, and are currently in studio recording 2 original singles as well as their first album, which will be a combination of original tracks and their most well-loved cover tracks.

 

What the press have had to say:

 

“More tons of voluptuous fun … when they are looking the three divas can have any crowd eating out of their hands.” … 

Peter Tromp, Cape Times

 

“BIG GIRLS DON’T CRY – THEY JUST BRING THE HOUSE DOWN … The Three Tons of Fun are glamorously substantial, to say the very least, and once again they are demonstrating their power to hold an audience and leave them clamouring for more.  The moment word got out that On Broadway had a four-day gap and the Three Tons were going to fill it, the patrons began packing in, for the gals have built up a loyal following on the cabaret circuit.  I could watch them all night” … 

Derek Wilson, Cape Argus

 

 “WOMEN WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD VOICES” …

The Herald, Port Elizabeth

“Love, the nastiest, yet the most joyous sensation in our human frame of reference.  And we deal with it so badly clutching comfort food, razor blades and bawling buckets through our tear ducts.  And it takes three large ladies to remind us that the idealised versions of romance and goo-goo emotions we see on screen isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.  Three Tons of Fun takes us on a pleasurable journey of self-discovery.  Don’t be alarmed when the penny finally drops and from the playlist you realise ‘Ohmigosh that’s so my life unfolding on stage !’ – Three Tons of Fun is great the first time around, but fantastic with a second viewing.  Do see.” … Sergio Ben, Cape Argus

 

“THREE TONS OF TALENT AND PLENTY OF FUN … For some time Three Tons of Fun has existed in a universe of it’s own.  There simply hasn’t been as durable and ubiquitous a stage / cabaret act as these three larger-than-life divas.  A cultural phenomenon, the women have taken Cape Town by storm, and at the end of this show, when the audience showed their appreciation with roaring approval, it was as satisfying to this reviewer as it must have been for the perfromers.  They have enough razzle-dazzle to fill at least two full-scale musicals.  One senses a synergy between the performers and if it continues, the whole world beckons.” …

Peter Tromp, Cape Times

 

ABOUT THE GIRLS …

 

BULELWA SAKAYI (mezzo soprano) was born and raised in the Eastern Cape's East London. As we all know, for every South African music has and continues to be a major way of expressing one's emotions. She moved from the Eastern Cape to study chemical engineering in Cape Town but that was not emotionally challenging for her. She then decided to go into performing arts. This is when she got her classical training, singing as a soloist in choral choirs and also joined an actor's agency.  She has travelled internationally performing to a number of film productions to mention the Golden Bear winner UCarmen EKhayelitsha as Frasquita . She has also done a lot of Television and theatre work. This is when she joined the larger than life all female group 3 Tons Of Fun in 2007 where she adds her playful yet sexy flavour.  And this is where she feels at home...

 

MICHELLE THOMAS (alto) was born in Cape Town.  Her childhood memories are those of camping, laughter, fun, cousins, aunts, uncles and family get-togethers. Her favourite story was that of her father as a vocalist and drummer in a band called the "Shindigs”.  Michelle thinks that the seed for her future was planted then already. He and her were inseperable. Sadly her father died of a brain haemorrhage when she was 6years old. It was the heaviest blow that she ever had to deal with! Michelle attended Goeie Hoop Primary and Kasselsvlei High and went on to UWC where she half-heartedly attempted a Bachelors Degree.  She did exceptionally well with the least amount of effort, but her heart was not in it, so she dropped out in her 3rd year.  Singing has always been Michelle’s lifelong dream and in high school the school concerts were the platform to showcase her raw, untrained, but natural talent. Her first real stage performance was in the Baxter as a vocalist in a school initiative called "Music Active." My mother one day stumbled upon an ad in the paper inviting voluptuous females who could sing, to audition.  At the time she was working in Administration at the Dirkie Uys Day Hospital in Goodwood. The rest as the cliche goes, is history!  Michelle says: 

"3 Tons” has harnessed my talent and uncovered a stage persona that not even I knew existed. My journey with the group has allowed me the honour of performing for Helen Zille, the King of Jordan, Sol Kerzner and Cyril Ramaposa, to name but a few.  We have also been blessed with extensive travel, locally, other parts of Africa, as well as Asia.  Overnight my 9 to 5 work week was transformed into a glamorous jetsetting lifestyle filled with exciting new people!  My personal favourites were singing before an internationally renowned audience at the opening of Sol Kerzner’s magnificent "One and Only Hotel" in Cape Town. Among the guests were Jonathan Butler, Mariah Carey, Hugh Masakela, Sharon Stone, Thandi Newton and a whole host of other celebrities!  Another highlight was "Skouspel" at Sun City where we performed alongside the cream of South Africa's artists, Dozi, Emo Adams, Marc Lottering, Robbie Wessels, Koos Kombuis and others.” 

  

STHE MFUPHI (alto and mezzo) known by friends and fans as ‘Saxy Sthe’, Sthe Mfuphi was born and bred in Durban.  Her prosperity is in Cape Town.  She has been a passionate singer since birth.  She started singing whilst she was still in her mother’s womb but never considered her powerful and distinctive voice would take her places.  She has only concentrated on her singing since she studied Jazz at the Natal Technikon.  Her precious voice brought her to the public’s attention when she started her own jazz band in 1998 called Sthe and friends.  After she finished her diploma in light Jazz music (2002) she moved to Cape Town and has worked as a music teacher since.  She has been teaching theory of music, voice, ensemble, improvisation, keyboards and ear training at Athlone Academy of music and Jazz Workshop.  In 2007 she joined the larger than life ladies group 3 TONS OF FUN and that is where her popularity grew in leaps and bounds as more and more people became dazzled by her voice.  The 3 incredible voices have helped them to travel abroad and locally and to meet people all over the world.  Sthe currently performs with her own group as lead vocalist, Sthe and the Untouchable Dudes.

3 TONS OF FUN - Starring Michelle Thomas, Bulelwa Sakayi & Sthe Mfuphi.

 

3 Tons of Fun have emerged over the last 8 years as one of Cape Town’s most loved all-female groups.  They are in great demand on the corporate circuit throughout South Africa and have performed at functions for top companies including amongst others Standard Bank, Ernst & Young, BOE, Sanlam, Transnet, Bidvest, Pick n Pay, Rabie Properties, IBM and Ericsson as w