Call Me Woman

Call Me Woman is a play workshopped by Barney Simon with the cast and the musicians in the first production.

Not to be confused with the 1985 autobiography by Ellen Kuzwayo (1914– 2006)[1], which used the same title.[2]

The original text

Structured in the form of a series of sketches which depict the lives of a selection of South Africa women in the 1970's, the piece was partly inspired by the 1976 play for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf [3] written by self-proclaimed black feminist American playwright and poet Ntozake Shange (1948- ) [4].

Performance history in South Africa

1979: Staged in the Market Theatre, Johannesburg from 22 November, directed by Barney Simon, with Saira Essa, Petunia Maboe, Nomsa Nene, Thoko Ntshinga, Gail Reagon, Natie Rula and Barrie Shah as the Women. The onstage musicians were Timmy Kwebulana and Thabang Masemola (also the Musical Director). The rest of the team included: Michele Maxwell (Vocal Director and Arranger), Sylvia Glasser and Sue Parker (Movement), Vivienne Cartwright (Designer) and Mannie Manim (Lighting Design). Photographs: Ruphin Coudyzer.

1980: The same production was staged in the Concert Hall at the Baxter Theatre from 3 January.

Sources

Barrow, Brian & Williams-Short, Yvonne 1988.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_Kuzwayo

https://www.panmacmillan.co.za/authors/ellen-kuzwayo/call-me-woman/9781770106178

Photocopy of playscript held at NELM ([Collection: SIMON, Barney]: 1995. 11. 5. 3. 1)

Ruphin Coudyzer. 2023. Annotated list of his photographs of Market Theatre productions. (Provided by Coudyzer)

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