Author Archives: David Fick

First Look at Musical Theatre Programme for the 2023 National Arts Festival

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The 49th National Arts Festival is scheduled for 22 June to 2 July 2023 in Makhanda. South African theatre-makers, artists and musicians are currently preparing their performances, presentations and exhibitions, all contributing to what promises to be a diverse programme of events. As usual, emerging and established creatives from all over the country will present new, experimental or reimagined works alongside pieces hailing from elsewhere in Africa and other parts of the world.

Aaron McIlroy and Lisa Bobbert will present a range of works at the National Arts Festival this year.
Aaron McIlroy and Lisa Bobbert will present a series of shows at the National Arts Festival this year.

Ahead of the festival, it can be challenging to discover the musical theatre presentations that dot the programme each year. However, there are usually several productions each year that fit the bill. There are always several shows created and staged in Gibson Kente’s so-called township musical style, along with musical theatre adjacent shows like revues and cabarets.

One company that has found its light in the last five years is the Eastern Cape-based Wela Kepela Productions. Several of their well-received biographical cabarets will appear on the Fringe, including The Story of Eva Cassidy, Amy Winehouse: The Diva and Her Demons, and Julie Andrews – Uncut. The works of Noel Coward will be showcased in Mad About the Boys, with more conventional Broadway show tunes to be heard in NEXT!!

In a more characteristically comic vein, MacBob Productions will present Go Big! and Bulletproof, shows that will showcase their typical marriage of big laughs with catchy music. Based in KwaZulu-Natal, Aaron McIlroy and Lisa Bobbert have been staging productions like these at the National Arts Festival and around the country for many years. The offbeat sense of humour that characterises their shows has developed a solid fan following.

As usual, the National Arts Festival will see the Village Green spring up at Victoria Girls High School, providing a hub for Festival patrons to enjoy local crafts and souvenirs while grabbing a bite to eat or a drink. The National Arts Festival team has also been working on a plan to address the threat of load-shedding, with all venues being equipped with a backup power supply to ensure a full schedule of uninterrupted shows.

The 2023 National Arts Festival programme will be revealed at the start of next month, with bookings opening then too. Hopefully, it will be a strong year for musical theatre-styled entertainment in 2023!

Legendary Musical BUDDY – THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY to Rock SA Stages in 2023

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Pieter Toerien will present a brand-new stage production of the legendary rock musical, Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story, in South Africa in 2023. Promising to deliver all the thrills of a full-scale live rock ‘n’ roll experience, Buddy will run at the Artscape Opera House from 28 March to 16 April 2023, and at The Teatro at Montecasino from 21 April to 28 May 2023.

A poster for BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY, showing a neon image of Buddy Holly as well as the production dates and venues.

Buddy follows the incredible journey of Buddy Holly’s meteoric rise to the top of the charts during the golden age of rock music. Following a start as a country and western singer, he formed a band, The Crickets, and shifted his style to rock music, shooting to stardom in 1957. Just two years later, Holly died tragically in a plane crash alongside Ritchie Valens and J. P. Richardson, also known as The Big Bopper. It was a tragedy that shook the world – to wit, “the day the music died”.

The all-South African cast of Buddy will be led by singer-songwriter Jethro Tait as Buddy Holly. Joining him on stage will be Bethany Dickson and Keaton Ditchfield, as well as Michael Stray, Chad Baai, Simone Neethling, Gianluca Gironi, Thoko Jiyane, Che-Jean Jupp, Gerard Van Rooyen, Koketso Mere, Gabriela Dos Santos, Virtuous Kandemiri, Sindiswa Ndlovu and Morgan Marshall.

Nick Winston, the internationally renowned English director and choreographer, will stage a newly conceived production of Buddy, unlike any previous incarnation of the show seen on South African stages. Wessel Odendaal will handle the musical direction, while Niall Griffin will create original set and costume designs for the show.

Bookings for Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story are open at Webtickets for both the Artscape season and its transfer to The Teatro at Montecasino. Tickets range in price from R150 – R500, with performances taking place on Tuesdays through Sundays. Group bookings for the Cape Town run can be made with Dean Roberts (dean@theatreonthebay.co.za) and with Geraldine Swanepoel (geraldine@montetheatre.co.za) for the Johannesburg run.

Camera Mode: THE PRODUCERS in Rehearsal

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Rehearsals for The Producers, the hilarious Mel Brooks musical comedy, are underway at Artscape, ahead of the productions’s first season at Theatre On The Bay. Brought to local audiences by Pieter Toerien Productions, the musical is directed by Joseph Pitcher, with musical direction by Garth Tavares and choreography by Duane Alexander. Mila De Biaggi serves as assistant choreographer.

In The Producers, Max Bialystock (a role which will be played by Alan Committie), the onetime king of Broadway producers who is hungry to strike it rich, and Leo Bloom (Richard White), an accountant with dreams of someday becoming a theatre producer, discover that they could get richer by producing a flop than a hit and start by finding the worst show, worst director, and worst actors. When their new production, Springtime for Hitler, turns out to be a smash success, the plan is thrown off and the partners lives are thrown into chaos.

Below, Dean Roberts provides a glimpse into the rehearsal room, where the production team is putting together what promises to be a hilarious reading of this international smash hit musical theatre hit.

01 THE PRODUCERS Rehearsals The Company
Musical director Garth Tavares, with Devin Butterworth and Nathan Muller, rehearse for THE PRODUCERS
Nicolette Fernandes, Chloe Perling and Devin Butterworth rehearse for THE PRODUCERS
Choreography Duane Alexander consults with Mila De Biaggi during rehearsals for THE PRODUCERS
Michele La Trobe, Raquel Munn and Chloe Perling at rehearsals for THE PRODUCERS
Nadine Suliaman and Claire Glover at rehearsals for THE PRODUCERS
Chloe Perling rehearses for THE PRODUCERS
Philip Schnetler and Earl Gregory at rehearsals for THE PRODUCERS
02 THE PRODUCERS Rehearsals Nadine Suliaman

The company of The Producers is rounded out by Raquel Munn, Terence Bridgett, Schoeman Smit, Earl Gregory, Devin Butterworth, Nathan Muller, Philip Schnetler, Joshua van Niekerk, Nicolette Fernandes, Michele La Trobe, Chloe Perling, Nadine Suliaman and Claire Glover. The creative team includes costume designer Penny Simpson and set designer Michael Mitchell, with Alyssa Harrison, assisted by Shakir Bester, handling the stage management.

The South African tour of The Producers kicks off at Theatre on the Bay in Cape Town on 4 February, with a season to follow at Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre and Studio from 3 April. Bookings are through Computicket.

Camera Mode: DANGER IN THE DARK Hits the Streets

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With only days to go before the first preview of the Baxter Theatre Centre‘s Danger in the Dark, the company took to the streets of Cape Town for a photographic feature by Jesse Kramer. The production is a new adaptation of Poison, the 1992 musical written by David Kramer and Taliep Petersen, which Kramer himself has reinvented.

Elton Landrew, Eldon van der Merwe, Loukmaan Adams, Alexis Petersen, Rushney Ferguson, Edith Plaatjies, Chad Baai and Tashreeq de Villiers in DANGER IN THE DARK (Photo credit: Jesse Kramer)
Elton Landrew, Eldon van der Merwe, Loukmaan Adams, Alexis Petersen, Rushney Ferguson, Edith Plaatjies, Chad Baai and Tashreeq de Villiers in DANGER IN THE DARK (Photo credit: Jesse Kramer)
Chad Baai, Elton Landrew, Rushney Ferguson, Loukmaan Adams, Alexis Petersen, Tashreeq de Villiers, Edith Plaatjies and Eldon van der Merwe in DANGER IN THE DARK (Photo credit: Jesse Kramer)
Chad Baai, Elton Landrew, Rushney Ferguson, Loukmaan Adams, Alexis Petersen, Tashreeq de Villiers, Edith Plaatjies and Eldon van der Merwe in DANGER IN THE DARK (Photo credit: Jesse Kramer)

Made possible by the City of Cape Town, Danger in the Dark is a timely response to the critical social issues that plague communities all over the Western Cape. Set in the underbelly of the Cape Flats, the musical unfolds in 1995, when Pamela (played by Alexis Petersen), a social worker who is writing a thesis on drug abuse, meets up with Juanita (Rushney Ferguson), a friend from her school days. When she realises that Juanita is trapped in an abusive relationship with a drug lord, she finds herself drawn into dark and dangerous places and situations as she tried to help her friend escape.

With Kramer at the helm of the production, Camillo Lombard takes up the duties of musical director with Grant van Ster and Shaun Oelf choreographing the show. A 22-strong South African cast and a live band bring to life the painfully beautiful narrative and soaring music.

Bookings are now open through Webtickets, with information about discounted block or schools’ bookings, fundraisers and charities available from Leon van Zyl. Ticket prices range from R100 to R195. The production previews at the Baxter Theatre from 11 – 14 October, opens on 15 October and runs until 2 November. There is an age restriction of 12 years.

Camera Mode: DANGER IN THE DARK in Rehearsal

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It’s crunch time for the Baxter Theatre Centre‘s Danger in the Dark, David Kramer‘s new adaptation of Poison, the musical he created with Taliep Petersen in the early 1990s, with the first previews of the show scheduled for next weekend.

Made possible by the City of Cape Town, Danger in the Dark is a timely response to the critical social issues that plague communities all over the Western Cape. Set in the underbelly of the Cape Flats, the musical unfolds in 1995, when Pamela (played by Alexis Petersen), a social worker who is writing a thesis on drug abuse, meets up with Juanita (Rushney Ferguson), a friend from her school days. When she realises that Juanita is trapped in an abusive relationship with a drug lord, she finds herself drawn into dark and dangerous places and situations as she tried to help her friend escape.

Take a peek through Jesse Kramer’s lens into the rehearsal room, where Kramer is putting the finishing touches on the production, together with the assistant director for the production, Grant van Ster. Van Ster is also choreographing the show in collaborataion with Shaun Oelf. Camillo Lombard serves as musical director.

Chad Baai and Loukmaan Adams in DANGER IN THE DARK (Photo credit: Jesse Kramer)
Chad Baai as Shawn confronts Loukmaan Adams as Michael in DANGER IN THE DARK (Photo credit: Jesse Kramer)
Luke Buys, Lubabalo Pupu, Loreto Cabrera and Mekaila Mathys in DANGER IN THE DARK (Photo credit: Jesse Kramer)
Ensemble members Luke Buys, Lubabalo Pupu, Loreto Cabrera and Mekaila Mathys in DANGER IN THE DARK (Photo credit: Jesse Kramer)
Alex Rodkin, Luke Buys and Gabriela Dirkse in DANGER IN THE DARK (Photo credit: Jesse Kramer)
Ensemble members Alex Rodkin, Luke Buys and Gabriela Dirkse in DANGER IN THE DARK (Photo credit: Jesse Kramer)

With a cast of 22 vibrant South African performers and a live band bringing to life the painfully beautiful narrative and soaring music of Danger in the Dark, this production promises to be a thrilling reinvention of the original Kramer-Petersen musical.

Bookings are now open through Webtickets, with information about discounted block or schools’ bookings, fundraisers and charities available from Leon van Zyl. Ticket prices range from R100 to R195. The production previews at the Baxter Theatre from 11 – 14 October, opens on 15 October and runs until 2 November. There is an age restriction of 12 years.

DANGER IN THE DARK Reworks Kramer and Petersen’s POISON

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Final Poster for DANGER IN THE DARK

David Kramer’s Danger in the Dark, a reworking of the hit musical, Poison, which he and the legendary late Taliep Petersen wrote in the early 1990s and was produced by Renaye Kramer, will premiere at the Baxter Theatre Centre this October. Kramer has written a new book for Danger in the Dark, but he has retained many of the original songs.

Poison was very well received in South Africa, Malaysia and London. The original production premiered in 1992 under the auspices of CAPAB Opera and was first reworked in 1994 for a season produced by Volkswagen Musicactive. A production at the Port Elizabeth Opera House followed in 1995, with another revival, directed by Bobby Heaney, having been staged at the Baxter Theatre in 2004 as part of the Klipfontein Corridor Project.

In the current adaptation of this powerful musical, Kramer has decided to tell the story from the point of view of Pamela, a social worker who is writing her thesis on drug abuse on the Cape Flats. Considering the critical crisis plaguing communities all over the Western Cape, the timing of this production could not be more perfect.

Danger in the Dark unfolds in 1995, when Pamela meets up with Juanita, a friend from her school days. She soon realises that Juanita is trapped in an abusive relationship with a drug lord and she is desperate to help her friend escape. Pamela is drawn into dark and dangerous places and situations, yet she endures against all odds, for the safety and survival of her friend.

David Kramer

Directed by Kramer with assistant director Grant van Ster, the acclaimed creative team for Danger in the Dark is made up of Camillo Lombard (musical director), Patrick Curtis (set and lighting designer), David Classen (sound designer), Widaad Albertus (costume designer), Kirsti Cummings (videographer) and Shaun Oelf and Grant van Ster (choreography).

Kramer has assembled a stellar cast of eight lead performers with a chorus of 14, who dance, sing and play a variety of roles, accompanied by a live band of five musicians.

The cast is led by Alexis Petersen as Pamela, Rushney Ferguson as Juanita, Elton Landrew as Poison, Eldon van der Merwe as Chicco, Tashreeq de Villiers as Lucky, Edith Plaatjies as Mrs Joseph, Loukmaan Adams as Michael and Chad Baai as Shawn. The ensemble comprises Luke Buys, Loreto Cabrera, Lewellyn Afrika, Luke de Kock, Anzio September, Lubabalo Pupu, Rori York Bingham, Nadine Suliaman, Alex Rodkin, Chamonay Anthony, Mekaila Mathys, Crystal Finck, Gabriela Dirkse and Tanzley Jooste.

Grandall Vlotman (conductor and keyboards), Shaun Francke (guitar), Jason Ward (drums and percussion), Yvan Potts (synthesizers) and Kurt Randall (bassist) make up the band.

Made possible by the City of Cape Town, Danger in the Dark previews at the Baxter Theatre from 11 – 14 October, opens on 15 October and runs until 2 November. Ticket prices range from R100 to R195 and booking is now open through Webtickets. For discounted block or schools’ bookings, fundraisers and charities, contact Leon van Zyl. There is an age restriction of 12 years.

Classy Makeover for Simon and Garfunkel in HERE’S TO YOU

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Fall in love with Simon and Garfunkel all over again in Here’s to You, a dynamic and uplifting musical journey through more than twenty classic hits! Expect to hear all the hits, including “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “The Sound of Silence,” “Scarborough Fair,” “Mrs Robinson,” and “Graceland.”

Under the direction of Timothy le Roux, the show features thrillingly fresh yet faithful interpretations of Simon and Garfunkel’s evergreen songs, blending nostalgia and imagination, so that different generations, young and old, can discover the magic of the duo’s folk-rock music as if for the very first time.

Here’s to You is performed by a stellar all-South African cast of eight talented singers who all play musical instruments. Under the musical direction of Wessel Odendaal, the cast is lead by Josh Ansley on guitar with Ashleigh Butcher on banjo, guitar and ukelele, Daniel Geddes on keyboards, Hanna So on piano, violin and cello, Justin Swartz on guitar and vocal percussion, Phindile Dube on percussion and Sanli Jooste on cello.

The production runs at Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre from 5 – 28 July 2019, with performances at 20:00 from Wednesdays to Saturdays, as well as at 16:00 on Saturdays and 15:00 on Sundays. Tickets are available from R100 through Computicket.

Richard O’Brien’s ROCKY HORROR SHOW Set to Do the Time Warp Again on SA Stages from December

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Rocky Horror 2018Pieter Toerien and Howard Panter will present a new production of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show on South African stages, with seasons of the legendary musical extravaganza set to play the Artscape Opera House in Cape Town from 6 December 2019 – 12 January 2020 and the Teatro at Montecasino in Johannesburg from 17 January – 1 March.

The Rocky Horror Show tells the story of Brad and his fiancée, Janet, two squeaky clean college kids who meet Dr Frank’n’Furter by chance when their car breaks down outside his house whilst on their way to visit their favourite college professor. It’s an adventure they’ll never forget, with fun, frolics, frocks and frivolity, bursting with timeless songs and outrageous outfits. The Rocky Horror Show is a guaranteed party, which famously combines science-fiction, horror, comedy and music while encouraging audience participation meaning, of course, getting dressed in the most outrageous fancy dress.

Directed by Christopher Luscombe, the smash hit show features all of the famous musical numbers which have made The Rocky Horror Show such a huge hit for over four decades, including “Sweet Transvestite”, “Science Fiction/Double Feature”, “Dammit Janet” and, of course, the timeless floor-filler, “The Time-Warp.”

The local cast stars Craig Urbani as Dr Frank’n’Furter and Kate Normington as the Narrator, with Anthony Downing, Marlee van der Merwe, Stefania du Toit, Zac Hendrikz, Jarryd Nurden, Jessica Sole, Usisipho Nteyi, Robin Timm and Sean Louw completing the company.

The Rocky Horror Show first began life in 1973 before an audience of just 63 people in the Royal Court’s Theatre Upstairs. It was an immediate success and transferred to the Chelsea Classic Cinema, before going on to run at the Kings Road Theatre from 1973 – 1979 and the Comedy Theatre in the West End from 1979 – 1980. In 1975, it was transformed into a film called The Rocky Horror Picture Show. This film adaptation took over $135 million at the box office and is still shown in cinemas around the world more than 40 years after its premiere. The stage show itself has been performed worldwide in more than 30 countries and has been translated into over 20 languages.

Ready to thrill you with fun and naughty moments, The Rocky Horror Show is the boldest bash of them all. Promising to be bigger and better than any production ever seen before on South African stages, The Rocky Horror Show is sure to have local audiences waiting in actici… pation as opening night draws nearer. Bookings are through Computicket.

Afrikaans Cabaret PSALTER Headlines Musical Offerings at the Alexander Bar

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PsalterLen-Barry Simons will be back on stage at the Alexander Bar in the Wessel Pretorius-scripted, Psalter, an Afrikaans cabaret that debuted at the intimate Mother City theatre venue last year.

Psalter takes its name from the book of Psalms and is a collection of growing-up memories of a Gaga worshiper, a disciple of Nina Simone and an envoy of the moon in kitsch angel wings. It is also an ode to three sisters, Greta, Joan and Bettie, each named after a silvery goddess, trying to cherish a child through the changing seasons. Christopher Petrie serves as the accompanist for the show, which runs from 4 – 8 June.

Also on offer at the venue for fans of local musical theatre performance are two burlesque revues, (Her)Story on 31 May and Fetish and Feathers on 14 June as well as a tribute show to Aretha Franklin from 4 Tons of Fun on 1 June.

Bookings for all of these productions can be made online at The Alexander Bar, Café and Theatre’s website. As usual, tickets bought online are on sale at a discounted price.

LAMTA Students to Dance the Night Away in SILVER SCREEN

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Silver ScreenThe Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy – or LAMTA, as it is fondly known – is delighted to announce its first stage production at Theatre on the Bay. Silver Screen is inspired by music from some of cinema’s most timeless classics and modern blockbusters and serves as a showcase of South Africa’s freshest young talent.

Choreographed by established leaders in the South African dance industry – including Adele Blank, Brigitte Reeve, Hope Maimane, Michelle Reid, Duane Alexander, Ilona Frege, Ashley Searle, Robin van Wyk and Sven-Eric Müller – this production promises to be a celebration of powerful and exciting dance to some of your favourite movie music hits.

The Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy was recently established on the top floor of Theatre on the Bay in Camps Bay with the primary aim of training triple threat students to become competitive working artists in today’s theatre industry. LAMTA is a partnership between musical theatre performers Anton Luitingh and Duane Alexander and theatre impresario, Pieter Toerien.

Tickets for Silver Screen, which runs from 5 – 8 June, cost R100 and are available through Computicket.