The audition room was anything but empty. Duma ka Ndlovu, the amiable and professional executive producer and creator of Muvhango was there, of course; jovial but very much in command too, along with one of the directors of the show, Archie Msazi, who shared the reigns at the audition.
The infiltrating paparazzi, namely me, and an assorted mix of onlookers including a cameraman, photographers and various Muhvango production people involved in the process, completed the audience who sat, jury-like, on the edge of the set taking in every word and expression.
Msazi and ka Ndlovu impressed me as they gently but firmly gave each one of the hopefuls guidance or instruction (politely out of the audience's earshot) while Dingaan Mokebe, who plays James in the soap, kept their nerves at bay with his mischievous antics before running through the script with them.
The first aspirant, SABC1's presenter Kede Mkhabela, handled herself well, having experience in front of cameras, but just didn't seem to convince that she could translate from bubbly to bitchy in one big leap.
Being third on the list was unlucky for 25-year-old mother of four, actress and voice-over artist Nomqhele Mncube, who looked cute but sadly was not magnetic enough to keep one watching her for long.
It was Khabonina Qubeka, the second to audition, who literally filled the room with energy, catching everyone's attention immediately and got the photographer snapping and the buzz going.
A pint-sized woman who comes across in the flesh as what you'd call dynamite in a small package, she was clearly at home with the part but still had to go up against some hot competition for this most sought-after but challenging role on the audition route.
At the final audition she needed to convince, as you'd expect, the demanding panel that she had the ability to own this role. And that she certainly did.
Now, while dedicated fans will never forget Chibi's brilliant performance as the original Doobsie, the show, as they say in showbiz, must go on.
Qubeka's comments at the end of her audition, when asked by ka Ndlovu how she would try to fill Chibi's shoes, summed up the showbiz adage when she said that, while filling someone's shoes was one thing, not everyone wears the same size shoe and she would try to give the role her own style by wearing a different kind of shoe.
If she succeeds in getting the role Qubeka said she also planned to put more street into her character and would try to live up to Lindiwe's portrayal of Doobsie by attempting to touch the hearts of viewers as much as Chibi most certainly did.