Kat and the Kings Co-Creator Taliep Petersen Murdered in South Africa

Taliep Petersen, co-creator of the Olivier Award-winning hit Kat and the Kings, has been found murdered at his home near Cape Town, South Africa. Only last week his latest show, Spice Drum Beat —Ghoema, opened at London's Tricycle Theatre, where it is running until January 27.

According to the SAPA news agency, Petersen was shot dead during a robbery at his home in the Athlone township on December 16. Armed men shot him after robbing six other family members and locking them in their bedrooms. They then took Petersen to his living room where they shot him and fled with his mobile phone, cash and electronic equipment. According to police superintendent Billy Jones, "The body of the deceased was found in the TV room with a bullet wound in the neck. His hands and feet were tied with tie-strips."

Together with artistic partner David Kramer, with whom he first collaborated in 1986, Petersen co-created such hits as District Six, Fairyland, Crooners, Poison, Klop Klop, Kat and the Kings which transferred to Broadway in 1999 and their current show, Spice Drum Beat—Ghoema. Petersen, who began his life as a performer, toured in South African productions of Hair, Godspell and Pippin. He came to London to further his studies and saw West End shows that inspired him to write his first own original musical revue, Canival a la District Six.

Mourning his sudden death, the premier of the Western Cape Province, Ebrahim Rasool, called Petersen "one of the great gifts of our community to the nation." In a statement, he went on to say, "He was one of the most wonderful, talented and greatest human beings I have known. He was able to capture our entire history, express our deepest pain, articulate our joy, and demonstrate our humanity through music and drama."