ɪn noʊvˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi wˈʌn, sˈiːl wʌz ɐpɹˈoʊtʃt tʊ ɔːdˈɪʃən tə plˈeɪ ðə ɹˈoʊl ʃˈɑːkə, ɐ zˈuːluː kˈɪŋ hˌuː lˈɛd ɐn ˈɑːɹmi ɐɡˈɛnst ðə bɹˈɪɾɪʃ ˈɛmpaɪɚɹ ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd z, ɪnðə stˈeɪdʒ pɹədˈʌkʃən "ʃˈɑːkə" wˌɪtʃ ɹˈæn fɚɹə jˈɪɹ.
In November 1981, Cele was approached to audition to play the role Shaka, a Zulu King who led an army against the British empire in 1800s, in the stage production "Shaka" which ran for a year.