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.
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.