Laurie van der Merwe

Laurie van der Merwe (19**-1975) was an actor, director and theatre manager.

Biography
Born L.G. van der Merwe in ** on **.

He died in in Newlands, Cape Town in September 1975.

Training
Trained and practiced as a teacher at **,

Career
He became a member of Ons Teatertjie Toneelgroep and Volksteater in Pretoria. Later became the manager of the Western Cape regional branch of NTO *** Appointed drama organiser for CAPAB from 1 June 1963 until his resignation in 1967, after which he joined PACT.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
First appeared in Die Peswolk and In die Wagkamer (J.F.W. Grosskopf, 1936), doing 8 plays for Volksteater between 1936 and 1942.** In 1950 joined the National Theatre Organisation (NTO) bilingual company for Candida and Oupa Brompie in 1950. In 1958 he moved to Bellville to start and lead a highly regarded Library Theatre Project in the region.

Romeo en Jeannette (Jean Anouilh) 1960, Babs Laker

He directed Becket for CAPAB in 1963.

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