Geoffrey Sutherland

(1941-1992) Director and choreographer. Before coming to South Africa in July 1967, he was a lecturer in Dance and Drama at the Laban Studio in Surrey. (Source: Teater SA, 1(3), 1968). ** He directed Canterbury Tales for the JODS at the Civic Theatre, in 1970. He directed and choreographed Man of La Mancha for JODS in 1971. He did the choreography for the JODS production Applause at the Civic in 1971. Choreography was taken over by Wendy de la Harpe after dissatisfaction from the director. He choreographed the PACT production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, directed by John Hussey, and starring Richard Loring, Bruce Millar and Alvon Collison at the Alexander in 1974. He directed and choreographed the South Afrcian version of the musical Chicago in January 1977 at the Alexander Theatre. It starred Annabel Linder and Judy Page and Hazel Feldman did publicity. He directed PACT’s production of The Archon at the Civic in 1979. His production of Joan Littlewood’s Oh! What a Lovely War starring Judy Page, Michael Richard, Gay Lambert, Michael McCabe, James White and Erica Rogers was staged by PACT in 1980. He directed NAPAC and CT Productions’ Snoopy!!! starring Tim Plewman, Mark Richardson and Cathy Cota, at the Space Frame theatre in 1984. He directed Peer Gynt at the Durban Alhambra for NAPAC in October 1985. He directed The Pirates of Penzance starring Clive Scott, Julie Wilson, Edwin van Wyk and Colleen-Rae Holmes for NAPAC which was brought to the Civic by PACT in December 1986. He choreographed The Great Waltz with direction by David Matheson which opened at the State Theatre in 1987. He directed and choreographed the musical Singin’ in the Rain in 1988. He directed Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd in 1989. He directed Romance, Romance in 1990. Together with Andrew Botha and Graham Scott he created Queen at the Opera which opened at the Durban Playhouse in 1990. He directed and choreographed Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s musical Jesus Christ Superstar at the Durban Playhouse in 1991. He directed the combined performing arts council’s production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers in 1990/91. He died in 1992 at the age of fifty-one.